SUVs continue to dominate the landscape of new vehicles. Consumers love the utility and extra passenger space, as well as the truck-like feel they offer. There is no doubt that there are dozens of different SUVs for sale in every style, shape, and size you can imagine. Kia alone now offers six different models for all different kinds of buyers. Some are best for budget-minded buyers, and some, like the popular Sorento and full-size Telluride, are best for families, but all give off a little different vibe that appeals to buyers in a highly personal way.
The fact is, we don’t just buy cars. We fall in love with them. They become part of the family, and we take pride in what we drive. In other words, what we drive matters to us. It may be because of the style, a certain feature, or it may come down to color choices, but either way, the same holds true: our cars are a reflection of who we are. Automakers know this, which is why they strive to provide multiple options within their model lineups. It’s a great time to have a busy family because this is even more true for buyers in this category.
Within the Kia lineup of SUVs, you’ll find a wide variety of choices that will appeal to all kinds of families. Whether you’re a new parent or a family of five, Kia’s expansive selection of vehicles is so complete that it’s possible to limit your shopping to the Kia SUV lineup alone. With that, you can forget about driving to multiple car dealerships to find your dream vehicle.
We’ve established that Kia’s lineup is expansive, but what’s the best Kia SUV for your busy family? Here we take a look at Kia’s 2020 lineup of SUVs and explore which vehicle might just fit perfectly with your lifestyle. Whether your family is full of adventure-seekers or you need a suburban people-mover, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the variety of vehicles offered at your local Kia dealer.
The 2020 Kia Soul
How would we describe the Kia Soul in one word? Fun! At a starting MSRP of $17,490, the small but mighty Soul offers buyers a quirky, fun exterior look coupled with some pretty amazing features, both standard and available as options. Within the Soul model range are several different trims ranging from the entry Soul LX to the exciting GT-Line Turbo.
The Soul works well for new parents looking for a boatload of safety features and room to stow all the baby gear you’ll likely be hauling with you. The Soul offers 24.2 cubic feet of cargo volume with the rear seat upright. Fold that rear seat down, and you’ll get a whopping 62.1 cubic feet of cargo volume!
Let’s talk about safety because the Soul offers many amazing safety features across all of its trims. All Kia Souls come standard with Electronic Stability Control and Child-Safety Door Locks. Moving up the model range, you’ll find Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning and Blind Spot Collision Warning on the S, GT-Line, EX, and GT-Line Turbo.
The 2021 Kia Seltos
The Seltos, starting at an MSRP of $21,990, is a great choice for city dwellers because of its compact size, yet it doesn’t compromise on interior space. How is this possible? Kia designed the Seltos to deliver a roomy interior without giving up the appeal of a smaller, more nimble SUV.
The Seltos comes in at an overall length of 172-inches and a wheelbase of 103.5-inches, giving Kia lots of interior space to work with. The Seltos provides 26.6 cubic feet of cargo volume while also providing comfortable and spacious seating for five. Fold down the rear seat, and you’ll get 62.8 cubic feet of cargo space.
Let’s talk about infotainment and tech because the Seltos offers plenty. The LX, S, EX and S Turbo come standard with an 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a 6-speaker audio system. The top-end SX Turbo bumps up to a standard 10.25-inch touchscreen display with Kia’s UVO system, voice command navigation, and SiriusXM Satellite Radio, boosted by a Bose Premium Audio system with a cool Sound Connected Mood Lamp feature that turns your vehicle into a listening oasis.
The 2020 Kia Sportage
Kia’s popular Sportage comes in at an MSRP of $23,990 and gets a small size boost over the Seltos. The 2020 Sportage received an exterior refresh, giving it a newer, edgier appearance. Inside, the Sportage offers a ton of standard technology and safety features that will appeal to young, busy families.
The Sportage is close in size to the Seltos but edges it out at an overall length of 176.4-inches and a 105.1-inch wheelbase. While the size difference is small, it’s noticeable, so families looking for a slightly bigger vehicle will want to focus on the Sportage. Cargo volume also gets a boost, with 30.7 cubic feet in the back and 60.1 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. Couple this space with the very handy power liftgate that comes standard on the upper-end Sportage EX and SX Turbo, and you’ll never have to worry again about juggling the groceries while fumbling with your key fob to open the hatch.
Technology features, such as a rear-camera, 8-inch touchscreen, and parking assist on the SX Turbo, are everywhere on the Sportage. The SX Turbo also comes standard with a convenient wireless phone charger, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, and a compass. Kia’s suite of driver-assist technology, which includes forward-collision avoidance-assist with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, and driver attention warning, comes standard on all Sportage models.
The 2020 Kia Niro
The Niro is an exciting addition to the Kia SUV lineup. It starts at an affordable MSRP of $24,590 and sits at the midrange of the lineup. The most exciting feature of the Niro lineup of vehicles is its Hybrid version, which delivers spectacular fuel economy at 52 MPG in the city and 49 MPG on the highway.
Even though it sits firmly in the compact size range, the Niro still provides plenty of room for people and cargo. At an overall length of 171.5-inches and with a wheelbase of 106.3-inches, the Niro’s profile is still small. What about cargo? With the rear seat up, the Niro offers 19.4 cubic feet of space, and with the rear seat down, that number jumps to 54.5 cubic feet.
As for entertainment and technology features, the Niro offers everything you’d expect in a modern SUV. From a standard 8-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the LX and LXS, to a UVO link-enabled 8-inch touchscreen on the Touring, to a 10.25-inch touchscreen with navigation on the Touring Special Edition and EX Premium models, Kia keeps the focus on infotainment. Kia even offers a mega-upgraded Harman Kardon 8 speaker premium sound system with its Clari-Fi technology and an integrated subwoofer, perfect for those road trip singalong kinds of days.
The 2020 Kia Sorento
As we move up the line of Kia SUVs, we see the Sorento is the first larger SUV, designed to move people in comfort and style. Three-row, 7-passenger seating is standard on every Sorento, offering bigger families a nice range of seating options. With an overall length of 189-inches and a 109.4-inch wheelbase, the Sorento jumps up quite a bit in size from its smaller SUV siblings. Cargo volume also gets a bump, with 73-inches of available cargo space when the second and third-row seats are lowered.
Inside, the Sorento offers power everything, including standard 10-way power driver’s seat on the S V6 and EX, and 14-way power driver’s seat on the top-of-the-line SX. Add to that a driver’s seat memory tool, and the SX is brimming with comfort features. The upgraded Harmon Kardon 10-speaker sound system is standard on the SX, as well as heated front seats, power windows with auto one-touch up/down, rear camera, auto-folding 2nd-row seats, surround-view monitor, and a wireless phone charger.
The 2020 Kia Telluride
Kia’s largest SUV, the Telluride, offers more of everything for large families. With an overall length of 196.9-inches and a wheelbase of 114.2-inches, the Telluride offers plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Its maximum cargo volume comes in at an impressive 87 cubic feet, and the interior can be configured for up to eight passengers.
With a truly luxurious interior and plenty of standard infotainment features, the Telluride will keep even your antsiest child comfortable and entertained. It offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8 or 10.25-inch touchscreen, depending on the trim line you choose, and interior mood lighting with over 64 colors to choose from on the high-end SX. There’s even an optional intercom system for easy chats between driver and rear passengers. In addition, there are power outlets and charging ports galore, so no one has to fight for the device charger.
Picking Your Next Kia SUV
As you can see, the dynamic lineup of Kia SUVs leaves little to be desired. Price shoppers will love the Soul, Seltos, and Sportage, while shoppers willing to spend a little more can take a closer look at the Sorento and the Telluride. There’s even an option for hybrid lovers in the Niro. Families should look no further than their local Kia dealer for their next SUV.
