At a glance
- Korea-built Kia WMIs
- KNA (cars), KND (SUVs and MPVs)
- Georgia-built Kia WMIs
- 5XX (cars), 5XY (SUVs)
- Trim series
- Position 5
- 2027 model year
- V in position 10
On this page
What the Kia VIN decoder can tell you
The Kia VIN decoder checks your VIN, then asks NHTSA's vPIC database what Kia reported for it: model year, model, trim, body style, drive, engine or electric motor, fuel type, GVWR class, doors, the plant and the air bag layout.
Kia and Hyundai belong to the same group and share some codes, so a Kia VIN can start with the same three characters as a Hyundai. The decoder reads all 17 characters, which is how it tells them apart. If a VIN turns out to be a Hyundai, it says so and offers the Hyundai VIN decoder.
Recall campaigns from NHTSA appear under each result, matched by model and year. Whether the repair was done on this particular car is something only NHTSA's VIN recall search or a Kia dealer can confirm.
Kia VIN chart, position by position
Kia's 2027 filings with NHTSA cover the Korea-built Seltos Hybrid and the Georgia-built EV6. Side by side, they show what each position does:
| Position | Kia's meaning | 2027 Seltos Hybrid (Korea) | 2027 EV6 (Georgia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Country | K = Korea | 5 = United States |
| 2 | Manufacturer | N = Kia Corporation | X = Kia Georgia |
| 3 | Vehicle type | D = MPV | Y = MPV |
| 4 | Make and line | E = Seltos Hybrid | C = EV6 |
| 5 | Model series | C EX, E X-Line EX or X-Line SX, L S | 3 Light, Light Long Range or Wind; 4 GT-Line |
| 6 | Body, drive, GVWR class | 3 wagon 4x2 Class C, C wagon 4x4 Class C | 4 wagon 2WD Class D, D wagon 4WD Class D |
| 7 | Restraint system | D (see the filing's air bag chart) | J (see the filing's air bag chart) |
| 8 | Engine or motor | 1 = 1.6L GDI Kappa (105 hp) plus a 45 kW hybrid motor | A or B = 160 kW rear motor (697 V or 523 V); C = 70 kW front plus 160 kW rear |
| 9 | Check digit | Calculated | Calculated |
| 10 | Model year | V = 2027 | V = 2027 |
| 11 | Plant | 7 Gwangju or 5 Hwaseong, Korea | G West Point, Georgia |
| 12 | Sequential number begins | 6 digits | 6 digits |
| 13 | Sequential number | ||
| 14 | Sequential number | ||
| 15 | Sequential number | ||
| 16 | Sequential number | ||
| 17 | Sequential number ends |
Every Kia line has its own letters for positions 4 to 8, and they change between generations. The decoder matches them against vPIC for the VIN's model year.
Kia plant codes (position 11)
| WMI | Code | Plant in vPIC |
|---|---|---|
| KNA | 5 | Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Korea |
| KNA | 6 | Sohari, Korea |
| KND | 5 | Hwaseong (vPIC spells it Hwasung), Korea |
| KND | 6 | AutoLand Gwangmyeong, Korea |
| KND | 7 | AutoLand Gwangju, Korea |
| 5XY | G | West Point, Georgia |
| 3KP | E | Kia Mexico |
Plant codes only mean something next to the WMI: 5 and 6 point to different places depending on the first three characters.
Example: reading two 2027 Kia VIN patterns
These follow Kia's filings exactly but aren't real cars: ? stands for the check digit and # for the serial.
- KNDEECD1?V7######: a 2027 Seltos Hybrid in X-Line trim (E), 4x4 (C), with the 1.6L hybrid (1), built at Gwangju (7).
- 5XYC4DJC?VG######: a 2027 EV6 GT-Line (4), 4WD (D), with front and rear motors (C), built in West Point, Georgia (G).
Change one letter and you have a different car: a 3 in position 6 of the first pattern would make that Seltos two-wheel drive.
A real Kia VIN decoded: 2025 EV6
This 2025 EV6 went through an NHTSA crash test (test 15479), and the test record lists its VIN. NHTSA's vPIC database returns this for 5XYC34JA7SG004112:
| Field | vPIC result |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 2025 Kia EV6 (trim listed as Light, Light Long Range or Wind) |
| Body and drive | SUV, 5 doors, two-wheel drive (4x2) |
| Powertrain | Electric (battery electric), single motor, 160 kW |
| Plant | West Point, Georgia |
| GVWR | Class 1D: 5,001 to 6,000 lb |
| Airbags | Front, knee (driver's side), side (rows 1 and 2) and curtain (rows 1 and 2) |
| Listed as standard | Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control |
vPIC's airbag and safety fields can be incomplete; the window sticker or owner's manual has the full list.
Kia models vPIC lists
For 2026 vPIC lists the Carnival, EV6, EV9, K4, K5, Niro, Seltos, Sorento, Sportage and Telluride, and the Soul through 2025. The all-years list of 25 also has the Amanti, Borrego, Cadenza, EV3, Forte and Forte Koup, K900, Optima, Rio, Rondo, Sedona, Sephia, Spectra and Stinger.
Where is the VIN on a Kia?
Look through the windshield at the driver's side of the dash, where federal rules require it on cars and SUVs (49 CFR 565.13). It's also on the certification label in the driver's door opening (49 CFR 567.4), and on your title, registration and insurance card.
Want the original sticker with options and packages? The Kia window sticker page shows how to get it. If you're listing the car, our guide to taking photos that sell a car covers the shots buyers look for.