Several Kia models produced around 2005 incorporated the questionable design of having the engine control electronics located below the oil sump - as I've seen first-hand what that does to the vehicle's maintenance costs, I'm inclined to agree with you!
I know a number of people with this view on Kia and Hyundai. "They were garbage back in 199X or 200X so they're still garbage now." Except that was twenty or thirty years ago and from what I've heard they made advances in design and quality since then.
Maybe, but anecdotically people I know who bought new Kia's also got rid of them, after trying different models that all had interesting problems.
The immobilizer issue I mentioned effects virtually every Kia built between 2011 and 2021.
They also do not do well in CR's annual surveys.
They're still bad, and there is ample objective evidence.
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The immobilizer thing isn't due to stupidity, but corner cutting taken to ridiculous extremes. I don't think a company can recover from being run down by bean counters.