Kia has been selling cars in the US for 30 years, and one of its launch models, now the 2026 Kia Sportage, is still a firm favorite. While Kia is still a bit in the shadow of Hyundai, as well as Toyota and Honda, it has been building its brand to the point where it now offers serious bang for your buck.
Kia’s push for greater value for money has been a multipronged effort. While Kia vehicles have always been good-looking, over the past few years the company has developed a distinctive design language that runs across its whole fleet. Kia has always been synonymous with loads of features, even on its lesser models, and it has kept this trend going. Add to that the reasonable price point Kia maintains, as well as its proven reliability, safety, and the wide range of car types, sizes, and drivetrain options, and Kia has quietly developed into a brand that offers major bang for your buck.
Features And Design Put Kia At The Forefront
Kia Vehicles are known to offer features normally only found way above their price points. Although Kia shares platforms with its sister company, Hyundai, it has its own very distinct design style called Opposites United, which combines contrasting concepts from nature and humanity. This may sound a bit arty, but it works, and Kia vehicles certainly stand out on the street.
Top Features Even On Budget Models
The 2025 Kia Soul is a small crossover that starts at $20,490. It comes standard with an eight-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, remote keyless entry, and driver assist technology such as lane keeping and following, and automatic emergency braking, as well as a host of available features. Move to the top-trim Soul EX at $24,790, and you get 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof with power sunshade, heated front seats, and side mirrors.
Design-Driven Cars That Earn Numerous Accolades
Over the past few years, Kia has won numerous awards and accolades for the design of its vehicles. For example, the 2026 Kia EV9 won the ‘Best of the Best’ award in the Cars and Motorcycles category at the 2024 Red Dot award, while the EV3 — not yet available in the US — was the winner in the Automobiles category at the 2025 iF Design Awards. The EV9 was also named ‘World Car of the Year’ in 2024. In both cases, the judges recognized the groundbreaking aesthetics and the layout and design of the interior spaces that focused on the driving experience.
Kia America Sold More Cars In Q1 Than At Any Other Time Since 1992
Wait, Kia sold how many Carnival MPVs in the United States last year?
An Affordable And Reliable Stable
Despite being well-designed and laden with features, Kia is affordable in every category of vehicle it makes. It has six vehicles with an MSRP of under $30,000, seven priced between $30,000 and $40,000, including the 2025 Kia Niro EV, four over $40,000, and only the EV9 over $50,000. The average new vehicle price in the US passed $50,000 for the first time in September.
Kudos From The Ever-Stringent Consumer Reports
A recommendation by the independent ratings agency Consumer Reports means a vehicle has been thoroughly tested and meets or surpasses its very high standards in performance, safety, reliability, and owner satisfaction. The 2025 Kia Telluride, Sorento, and Sportage are all recommended SUVs, while the 2026 Kia Carnival gets the nod as MPV, and the K5 is a recommended sedan.
Industry-Leading Warranties For All
Kia does have industry-leading warranties. Most cars come with a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty, with some giving a five-year/60,000-mile warranty on the powertrain. Kia has a standard five-year/60,000-mile limited warranty, ten-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance. In addition, Kia EVs have a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty on the EV system and the batteries.
Kia’s Telluride, Sportage, Carnival, and K4 Set Sales Records
Kia’s a bright spot in a murky car market. They may also be one of the better positioned foreign carmakers to manage the tariff mess.
Power, Efficiency, And Safety
If you are looking for raw power, the 2025 Kia EV6 GT has dual motors and AWD, makes 585 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque, and can go from zero to 60 mph in under 3.5 seconds. But most people who buy a Kia are looking more for everyday factors such as fuel efficiency, EV range, and safety.
Noteworthy Fuel Efficiency Across The Board
The Kia Niro is a small urban crossover. It is unique in that it comes in a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, and an EV. The hybrid gets 53 MPG combined, the PHEV 108 MPGe and 48 MPG on gas, while the EV gets 113 MPGe. The Kia Sorento hybrid is a mid-size SUV that will go 36 MPG, while the Sportage Hybrid is a RAV4-sized compact SUV that will give 43 MPG in FWD. The EV6 Long Range will go 319 miles on a charge, while the bigger EV9 has a range of 304 miles.
Advanced Safety Features Are Award-Winning
The 2025 Kia EV9 and EV6, Telluride, Sportage and Sportage Hybrid, K5, and Sorento and Sorento Hybrid have all received the maximum five stars overall from the NHTSA. The IIHS is the insurance industry safety ratings agency, and it gave the Kia EV9 a Top Safety Pick+, meaning it is the safest vehicle in its class. In a random sampling, the Kia Telluride and Sportage also received this top award. Depending on the model, Kia has a comprehensive suite of driver-assist safety features as standard or optional extras. These features include:
- Auto emergency braking
- Blind spot warning
- Collision avoidance
- Smart cruise control with stop and go
- Surround view monitor
- Remote smart parking
- Rear cross traffic avoidance.
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It may come as a surprise that this legacy brand has trumped some Japanese brands and some companies that rule the industry.
Comprehensive Choice Of Vehicles
The value propositions listed in this article are not limited to one or two models, but apply to the extensive range of Kia vehicles sold in the US. The US car market is a bit of turmoil because of the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and the phasing out of the EV subsidies, but Kia has been part of the local automotive landscape for a long time, and it has deep roots here.
The Kia dealer network covers the whole country, while there are two factories in Georgia. The one at West Point makes gas and hybrid cars, while the newer factory in Savannah is dedicated to EV production. With the award-winning EV3 probably coming to the US, and the exciting EV4 concept heading for production, buyers will be spoiled for choice.
A Choice Of Body Shapes
While brand loyalty or perception can drive which make of car we buy, the type of car we choose will depend on our lifestyle and driving needs. Crossovers and SUVs are the most popular vehicles in the country. The allure of minivans has diminished since their heyday twenty years ago, but the big people carriers still have a following. The sedan is supposed to be gone, but when you look at sales, there are still a lot of folks who like them.
The only vehicle Kia does not make is the pickup truck, and currently, the hatchback. Everything else is there, from small crossovers like the Niro, popular compacts like the Sportage and EV6, to the big SUVs, Kia has that covered. There are a couple of pretty good sedans, with the K4 hatchback set to arrive soon. The Carnival MPV is a hybrid that competes with the likes of the Toyota Sienna.
Powertrains For All Buyers
Kia has the full house of powertrains in its fleet. While hybrids have proven to be superior to normal gas engines in almost any situation, there are still a lot of diehard gas fans out there. The Soul, Seltos, and Telluride crossover/SUVs come in gas only, as do the K4 and K5 sedans. The Sportage, Sorento, and Carnival MPV are available as gas or hybrids, while the Niro comes in hybrid, PHEV, and EV flavors. The Sportage and Sorento are available as PHEVs as well. The EV6 and EV9 join the Niro EV as the fully electric offering.
Sources: Kia, Fueleconomy.com