Korean built vs North American built Kia's

[1 SX]

This is more of a curiosity question than anything else.

I was googling oil specs for other markets on the 2.4L and a few hits on "other" forums came up unrelated to oil spec..

Although 5W30 is the spec it appears in other markets - members were saying the Korean built kia's have "less" of a failure rate of the 2.4L, and even slightly over all higher quality than the USA built Kias.

Any real truth to this? I kinda believe it. The Forte has "K" as first digit on vin, and number 5, 7th to last number in vin. Both confirm it Korean built.. imho.. this Forte could give most any Honda and even some Acuras a run for its money in terms of fit and finish and overall quality. Panel gaps both inside and out are very reasonable even 9 plus years later. The feeling of the soft touch ish dash and the leather door panels inserts are out of place, and even the red stitching on the leather seats / panels is such a nice "touch".. It even has real aluminum pedals that are actually cold to the touch .. It's just a nice place to spend some time.

The USA built Kias would have a number as first digit (1,4 or 5) than "G" as 7th digit means Georgia..

The Sonata on other hand was "assembled" in USA and although it does not have Lexus LS450 quality, it's still above class I believe for a Mid level Sonata. The 2.4L DI does not use a drop of oil and minus a couple cosmetics like the headlights are starting to fade, and clear coat that I power washed off the corner of bumper it has been rock solid reliable..

OT: Im clueless on how different markets build cars. I just assumed they all use the same parts and techniques with the same time restraints, and machinery etc.. ?

Thanks.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

IMO the only differences would be found in QC beginning with suppliers through final assembly.

 

[aquariuscsm]

If I were to buy a KIA I'd prefer the Korean built models.

 

[Hyundai Respecter]

This is more of a curiosity question than anything else.

I was googling oil specs for other markets on the 2.4L and a few hits on "other" forums came up unrelated to oil spec..

Although 5W30 is the spec it appears in other markets - members were saying the Korean built kia's have "less" of a failure rate of the 2.4L, and even slightly over all higher quality than the USA built Kias.

Any real truth to this? I kinda believe it. The Forte has "K" as first digit on vin, and number 5, 7th to last number in vin. Both confirm it Korean built.. imho.. this Forte could give most any Honda and even some Acuras a run for its money in terms of fit and finish and overall quality. Panel gaps both inside and out are very reasonable even 9 plus years later. The feeling of the soft touch ish dash and the leather door panels inserts are out of place, and even the red stitching on the leather seats / panels is such a nice "touch".. It even has real aluminum pedals that are actually cold to the touch .. It's just a nice place to spend some time.

The USA built Kias would have a number as first digit (1,4 or 5) than "G" as 7th digit means Georgia..

The Sonata on other hand was "assembled" in USA and although it does not have Lexus LS450 quality, it's still above class I believe for a Mid level Sonata. The 2.4L DI does not use a drop of oil and minus a couple cosmetics like the headlights are starting to fade, and clear coat that I power washed off the corner of bumper it has been rock solid reliable..

OT: Im clueless on how different markets build cars. I just assumed they all use the same parts and techniques with the same time restraints, and machinery etc.. ?

Thanks.

Just my preference, my first choice for a new Hyundai or Kia would be a Korean built one, second choice would be a Mexican built one (currently the Forte/Rio/Accent (RIP), then I’d look for a used Korean built one, then an American built one.

As far as I know the Theta 2 engines in cars for this market were assembled on site at the Alabama Hyundai plant. So maybe the Korean built engines were better?

 

[MParr]

There’s not much difference. The folks from S. Korea are still running the show. The manufacturing techniques are the same.

 

[Passport1]

The quality of the kimchee served in the plant lunchrooms is better in Korea than in Georgia.

 

[PimTac]

Better robots in Korea making the engines.

 

[michaelluscher]

Just my preference, my first choice for a new Hyundai or Kia would be a Korean built one, second choice would be a Mexican built one (currently the Forte/Rio/Accent (RIP), then I’d look for a used Korean built one, then an American built one.

As far as I know the Theta 2 engines in cars for this market were assembled on site at the Alabama Hyundai plant. So maybe the Korean built engines were better?

The Korean built Theta 2 was also failure prone

 

[loneryder]

Mercedes mechanics will tell you that the German built ones are better than the US ones. The Toyota car nut has stated that fit and finish are much better on the Japanese made cars than the US cars.
All Mercedes engines and trans come from Germany.

 

[wemay]

Just my preference, my first choice for a new Hyundai or Kia would be a Korean built one, second choice would be a Mexican built one (currently the Forte/Rio/Accent (RIP), then I’d look for a used Korean built one, then an American built one.

As far as I know the Theta 2 engines in cars for this market were assembled on site at the Alabama Hyundai plant. So maybe the Korean built engines were better?

Agreed. Korea, Mexico then Alabama

 

[walterjay]

I have a Korean Hyundai Tucson. The fit and finish is impeccable.

 

[dishdude]

If the design is flawed it doesn't matter where it's assembled.

 

[4strokes]

When I sold my 2012 Tucson at 10 years and 150000 miles it ran perfectly and everything worked, did not burn oil. The only repairs were some suspension bits and pieces. It lived a hard life in a large rust belt city that had potholes everywhere.

 

[97prizm]

When I worked at a Lexus dealership several years ago this topic would occasionally come up with customers. The Lexus RX350 is manufactured mostly in Ontario, but a few make it in from Japan. Lexus had the exact same software and machines to manufacture the RX350 installed in Ontario. I had heard this about the Japanese vs Indiana made Subaru's.

 

[dfarr67]

My preference would be country of original manufacturer- VW Germany, Honda/Toy Japan. I worked at GM Oshawa as a student years ago- I believe that plant was one of the best in north america- but I also think the japs and germans are more serious about quality from MY experience.

 

[avacado11]

There is no solid evidence showing that a car built in a specific country has better quality but I am a firm believer in that. When you look at it logically it doesn’t matter who is assembling it but rather who designed it and who QC’d it.

OEMs for the most part will source part suppliers local to the plant because it doesn’t make sense to ship the part from its country of origin. Yes there are standards the OEMs hold the suppliers up to but that’s like saying a teacher who teaches the same book to a class means every kid should do well on a test. It simply never works that way.

IMO, the people building the cars in the brand’s country of origin take more pride in their work and therefore will be more careful than someone who’s just putting parts together because it’s their job. I doubt anybody working at the Alabama Hyundai plant gives a **** about wether or not the vehicle comes out perfect like someone who’s from Korea. I mean the folks building Camaros and Corvettes take much more pride than the folks building Silverados and Equinoxes in Mexico.

Proof of this: my Mexican built Nissan was shoddy AF but when you compare that car to a J vin Infiniti the panel gaps are way off. My Texas built Tacoma had a bunch of part failures and every single one was stamped Mexico. This brings me back to the theory that not all parts suppliers are putting out quality parts regardless of what the oem specifies.
My J vin Toyota Prius and Honda Accord (2017 Accord Hybrid, the only year they imported) have noticeably better fit & finish than their American build counterparts. They still have their faults, but I can notice the quality difference.

 

[dlundblad]

Quality should be identical.

 

[nthach]

The quality of the kimchee served in the plant lunchrooms is better in Korea than in Georgia.

You’d be shocked if you went to LA/Orange County. Lots of Koreans in LA/Irvine. And surprisingly enough, Philly and Bergen County, NJ/Brooklyn also have Korean enclaves.

Thanks to Honda(for years it was LA as well), Columbus(Ohio) has a thriving Japanese population and I’d bet the food there is on-par with LA and Tokyo/Nagoya/Hamamatsu. I’m putting money on Dallas/Plano to also have a sizable Japanese enclave thanks to Toyota - despite the fact they are the most “Americanized” of the Japanese majors.

 

[4WD]

 

[97prizm]

This is more of a curiosity question than anything else.

I was googling oil specs for other markets on the 2.4L and a few hits on "other" forums came up unrelated to oil spec..

Although 5W30 is the spec it appears in other markets - members were saying the Korean built kia's have "less" of a failure rate of the 2.4L, and even slightly over all higher quality than the USA built Kias.

Any real truth to this? I kinda believe it. The Forte has "K" as first digit on vin, and number 5, 7th to last number in vin. Both confirm it Korean built.. imho.. this Forte could give most any Honda and even some Acuras a run for its money in terms of fit and finish and overall quality. Panel gaps both inside and out are very reasonable even 9 plus years later. The feeling of the soft touch ish dash and the leather door panels inserts are out of place, and even the red stitching on the leather seats / panels is such a nice "touch".. It even has real aluminum pedals that are actually cold to the touch .. It's just a nice place to spend some time.

The USA built Kias would have a number as first digit (1,4 or 5) than "G" as 7th digit means Georgia..

The Sonata on other hand was "assembled" in USA and although it does not have Lexus LS450 quality, it's still above class I believe for a Mid level Sonata. The 2.4L DI does not use a drop of oil and minus a couple cosmetics like the headlights are starting to fade, and clear coat that I power washed off the corner of bumper it has been rock solid reliable..

OT: Im clueless on how different markets build cars. I just assumed they all use the same parts and techniques with the same time restraints, and machinery etc.. ?

Thanks.

When I sold vehicles at a Lexus dealership back in 2016 this came up time to time. I had a couple of customers who absolutely had to have a Japan built RX350. Toyota corporate had the exact same assembly line installed in Ontario that was installed in Japan. I saw zero difference in quality between a Japan built and Ontario built RX350.