Kia came into the United States market with a bit of a stigma attached. Hyundai had struggled with reliability and Kia’s vehicles started to follow the same path.
Kia has however started making some excellent vehicles and continues to become better and produce a better product line every year!
This year is no exception. While most of Kia’s offerings fit into the economy or smaller vehicle bracket, they have started to branch out into larger and more luxury options. It’s the natural progression for a company as they continue to expand their efforts.
The current generation of Kia’s are good cars at excellent prices. The Kid product line is an excellent example of a company producing cars for the people and not just for reviewers.
Kia Forte - $17,500+
38.0 mpg - 7.3/10.0
The Forte is one of the most popular of Kia’s offerings. The Forte is a utilitarian car that does everything well but nothing extraordinarily. One good aspect of the Forte is that there is a lot of options that can be added. You don’t necessarily have to package either. This means you can get exactly the car you want rather than a bunch of options you don’t really want or need.
Kia Cadenza - $32,900+
28.0 mpg - 8.2/10.0
The Cadenza is Kia’s entry level luxury vehicle. Price a little bit below Competitors like the BMW 2 Series, the Cadenza is actually a pretty great car! The Cadenza manages a great balance of size, power, comfort and fuel economy. Options involve a bevy of tech for those who want the frills!
Kia K900 - $50,900+
26.0 mpg - 4.4/10.0
The K900 is one of the earliest examples of Kia breaking into the full size luxury market. Competing with Lexus and Acura while still in its infancy is a tough task. The K900 does come in cheaper than the competition. Price isn’t as big an issue in this range as it’s features that drive sales. The K900 is a solid effort and a building block for Kia moving forward.
Kia Rio - $16,400+
36.0 mpg - 6.5/10.0
The Rio is the fun small car for the young and young at heart. The hatchback especially is a fun option for people. The Rio does lack some of the refinement that competitors like the Honda Fit or Ford Fiesta currently have. That being said the Rio is a solid dependable car.
Kia Optima - $23,100+
32.0 mpg - 8.3/10.0
The Optima is a pretty great small car. Like many Kias, the price comes in below its direct competition. The Optima has a lot of size for a vehicle this inexpensive. In addition to the size of the cabin, it’s very comfortable to sit in. The Optima is future friendly too. In addition to the standard gasoline engine, there’s a hybrid and a plug in hybrid for the future.
Kia Niro - $23,800+
46.0 mpg - 8.8/10.0
The Niro is an excellent crossover hybrid. The vehicle provides the kind of crossover utility that’s available along with some great fuel economy. It’s true that the Niro won’t be as great off road because of the hybrid engine, but it’s going to save you a lot of money at the pumps and provide you with a great road vehicle.
Kia Sedona - $27,900+
22.0 mpg - 8.7/10.0
While the minivan doesn’t have nearly the market it used to, the Sedona proves that a good minivan still sells itself! The Sedona naturally has a huge amount of space for people. Where minivans lost their edge was that most were just awful to drive. The Sedona actually has managed to be fun. It handles very well and has surprising power!
Kia Sorento - $26,500+ - 23.0 mpg - 8.3/10.0
The Sorento is one of the best value for money vehicles on the road today. There’s almost no vehicles that can be fit with 7 seats at this price point! It’s more comfortable in the 5 seat format, but for a family with a lot of children, it makes complete sense!
Kia Soul - $17,000+
31.0 mpg - 9.7/10.0
The Kia Soul is one of the most distinctive vehicles on the road. The cube styling is not for everyone. However the cube styling does allow for a huge amount of space in a relatively small car. In addition it’s so cheap! Don’t forget the fuel efficiency or all the tech bells and whistles like Apple CarPlay.
Kia Sportage - $24,100+
23.0 mpg - 8.0/10.0
The Sportage represents yet another competent value packed vehicle in this lineup. The crossover is a perfect size for any small growing family. The base model is kind of sparse when it comes to options. However there are a lot of different options available and the Sportage is very customizable.