Kia and Bermaz split after 4 years

Kia and Bermaz Group have decided to end their partnership in Malaysia, which was formed back in 2021. Starting from 1 January 2026, the brand’s operation in Malaysia will be directly under the new national sales company that has been set up by the Korean giant.

Bermaz was previously the sole distributor of Kia vehicles in Malaysia, via its subsidiary, Dinamikjaya Motors. The company is also responsible for the spare parts for the brand in our market.

During the Bermaz era, the brand introduced several EVs in Malaysia. The list includes EV6, which was launched in 2022, followed by Niro EV in 2023 and EV9 in 2024.

“Kia is excited to reinvigorate our brand presence in Malaysia. We believe our innovation- and customer-centric strategy will enhance how fans experience the brand as we continue to support the growth of Malaysia’s economy and automotive industry.

We are here to stay and, aligned to our ‘Movement That Inspires’ brand vision, we are dedicated to building a future that inspires new experiences and sustainable mobility,” – Ki Seok Ahn, President & CEO, Kia Asia Pacific.

While Kia has yet to announce any in-depth plan for Malaysia moving forward, the Korean giant has named the first two top executives who will lead its operation here under Kia Sales Malaysia Sdn Bhd. One of them is Hyung Ho Kim as the company’s President and CEO.

Joining him as the Managing Director of Kia Sales Malaysia is Emily Lek, who was previously the VP of Omoda | Jaecoo and iCaur Malaysia. Prior to that, she was the Head of Sales at Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Kia said that any bookings made before 30 November 2025 will continue to be fulfilled. After that, the company will temporarily stop accepting bookings throughout December 2025 before opening the order books again in January 2026.

Despite that, the Korean automotive company also said that all existing authorised Kia service centres will continue to serve customers during this transition period. As part of the transition, the company is also revamping the official website of Kia Malaysia.