Here's how Kia went from being an underdog to one of the most popular car brands in the world

For many of its early years in the U.S., Kia was a low-cost value brand, and its cars were often criticized for poor quality, reliability and design. But with a brush with bankruptcy and a 51% stake investment by Hyundai Motor Group, Kia grew fast, started winning awards and became one of the most desired car brands. Sales have increased threefold in the U.S. over the past 20 years. But growing too fast and catering to a higher-income customer comes with a fair share of challenges.