New survey reveals almost 50% of people still don’t recognise Kia’s new badge almost two years after it was launched

Kia’s logo remains ‘unrecognisable’ to customers almost two years after the Korean outfit started using the redesigned badge, a new study has revealed.

Data collected by automotive service Rerev found that almost half (44 per cent) of the 1,062 people surveyed mis-read the letters in the new badge.

The most common mistake was that the logo actually says ‘KN’, with 26 per cent of respondents making that particular error.

The news will come as something as a slap in the face for Kia, which has been using the updated logo since January 2021.

Bosses had been hoping it would help relaunch the brand as it looked towards electrification but the latest analysis would suggest it has some way to go yet.

The size of the task is reflected in recent Google search data, which shows around 30,000 monthly searches for ‘KN car’.

A further three per cent of those surveyed read the logo as ‘KM’ which has also has around 1,200 monthly Google searches.

Elsewhere, two per cent answered simply ‘K’ or ‘KV’ respectively. Other variants given included ‘KVI’, ‘KVA’, ‘KLA’, ‘VKN’, and ‘VAA’.

Lilit Farmazian, from Rerev, said: ‘While KIA has likely done an extensive amount of research on how people perceive their logo to shape their brand identity, our research shows the brand has fallen short.

‘These findings are surprising given the amount of time and resources that companies typically put into designing their logos. A logo is often a key part of a company’s brand identity, and is meant to be easily recognisable to consumers.

‘Overall, it appears KIA’s new logo has had difficulty in modernising their brand logo while keeping it recognisable.

‘There is still room for improvement when it comes to how people perceive the company’s lettering. With continued research and testing, KIA can ensure that their branding resonates with customers worldwide.’

• Join our breaking news WhatsApp group
• Sign up for daily email Car Dealer news bulletins
• Listen to the latest Car Dealer Podcast
• Read the latest digital issue of Car Dealer Magazine
• Create a Car Dealer account to access premium content