Quick look:
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Kia Malaysia will shift local assembly of its models (currently the Sportage and Carnival) from Inokom to the Stellantis plant in Gurun, Kedah.
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The Gurun facility previously assembled Kia vehicles when it was owned by Naza. Assembly operations will start during the third quarter of 2026 and some production will be exported.
Kia vehicles will once again be produced at the factory in Gurun, Kedah where they were previously assembled when the brand was handled by the NAZA Group (which built the plant in 2004). It was sold to Stellantis in 2021 which now uses the facility to assemble Peugeot and Leapmotor vehicles for the Malaysian and regional market.
From Kulim to Gurun
Kia Malaysia has contracted the plant to be assembler for its present and future models, starting from the third quarter of 2026. This means that the Sportage and Carnival, currently assembled at Inokom which is located in Kulim in the same state, will be shifted to Gurun.
Next phase of Kia Malaysia’s growth
The collaboration is expected to strengthen Kia’s manufacturing ecosystem in Malaysia while improving operational flexibility, scalability, and readiness for future model introductions. This marks the next phase of the brand’s growth in Malaysia and the wider ASEAN market, reinforcing Kia’s long-term commitment to regional development and expansion. Some of the production will also be exported to neighbouring markets.
“This collaboration marks a key milestone in Kia’s strategy to ‘Return, Rebuild, and Reposition’ Kia in Malaysia. By partnering with Stellantis Malaysia and leveraging Malaysia’s automotive supply chain ecosystem, Kia is poised to strengthen our local footprint,” said Kia Malaysia and Kia Sales Malaysia President & CEO, Hyung Ho Kim.
He added that it will also reinforce manufacturing quality and readiness to deliver future model expansion, in line with the brand’s Malaysian and regional growth ambitions.
