Car Buyer Labs

Car Buying Advice, Tips, and Reviews

A red 2022 kia K5 is shown from the side driving on a snow lined road.

The Kia Lineup Should Be on Your List

Kia began in 1944 as a bicycle parts maker but has clearly come a long way since. Today Kia is recognized around the world for well-built vehicles, including sedans, sports cars, SUVs, minivans, hatchbacks, and hybrids that are sporty, fun, and reliable. The 2022 lineup is especially impressive, and if you visit a Kia dealer, they can tip you to all of their knowledge about the value of a 2022 Kia.

Solid Utility Affordably Priced

As mentioned, Kia is known for reliability. In fact, J.D. Power ranks Kia as the Number One Mass Market brand for vehicle dependability and the Number Three brand overall. Only Lexus and Porsche are ahead of Kia in this regard – and it’s not by a huge margin either.

Kia backs up their dependability with a best-in-class warranty that lasts for 10years or 100,000 miles. This gives Kia buyers major peace of mind when purchasing the vehicle. Kia invested over $1 billion dollars in quality-oriented research to achieve this reputation, and it does not disappoint its loyal customer following.

Despite this incredible dependability, Kia remains affordable. Most of the vehicles in their lineup are priced in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. This is the price for a brand-new car with a decade-long warranty on it. Additionally, Kia is well-known for its stable of standard features. Safety, technology, comfort features are all there for highly reasonable prices.

Kia vehicles offer tremendous utility because of their diverse lineup of cars. Yet across the lineup, a few things are commonplace. One is a sporty, fun sense of driving that can be seen in their designs and performance features. Driving is never a chore in a Kia, and that is exactly how they engineer them.

2022 Lineup Highlights

The 2022 model year is particularly insightful because Kia tends to refresh their vehicles with the most modern safety, technology, and engineering features. Plus a new electric car, the EV6 is a complete game-changer in the industry, and there is already a waitlist for it.

To make your Kia car-buying research super simple, here is a snapshot of some 2022 models that combine comfort, safety, and performance with affordability. Think of these as sporty, reliable vehicles whereby you can envision an exhilarating ride by yourself down a long country road, a safe and secure family trip someplace fun, or a digitally connected commute that efficiently takes you to work each day.

Sedans

The summary begins with the Kia sedans. The options listed here are true sports sedans with a bunch of modern features. You’ll find performance under the hood and shapely exteriors along with sleek interiors.

K5

This sporty sedan features a standard 180 horsepower engine with available all-wheel drive. The 290-horsepower GT version accelerates from 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, leveraging its best-in-class 311 lb-ft of torque. The active torque distribution provides solid traction when cornering in wet weather. The steel structure it’s built from is a solid safety feature, but so are all of the front, side, and driver’s knee airbags. You’ll definitely feel the zip in the K5.

Stinger

This is a beautiful vehicle to look at on the exterior. You can see the bold craftsmanship in its sleek styling. While it is easy on the eyes, it is bold in power and performance. It only takes 4.7 seconds to reach 60 MPH when equipped with the 3.3L V6 engine that gets 368 horsepower. The new 2022 Stinger Scorpion special edition is the definition of cool with its darker accents in the exhaust, wheels, and mirror caps, and its rear spoiler amps up its curb appeal.

A green 2022 Kia Soul is shown from the front parked in a desert after leaving a Kia dealer.

Crossovers, SUVs and MPVs

Kia builds a diverse set of cars in this category. These should appeal to families, weekend warriors, and people that just have a lot of stuff to haul around – be it sports equipment, camping gear, luggage, or groceries.

Soul

The Soul is the most affordable SUV in the Kia lineup. So if you want excellent value for a brand new vehicle and you’re on a budget, the Soul is a smart option. The seating is versatile to optimize storage. It comes with smartphone connectivity to stay connected on the go too. There are ten paint color choices and five interior options to find the right Soul that fits your personality. We suggest the Soul X if you plan to do more rugged exploration. The available 201 horsepower engine means the Soul may be small, but it’s mighty.

Seltos

Seltos is a step above the Soul in terms of size and price. It costs in the low $20,000 range but remains an excellent value purchase, especially with optional all-wheel drive for optimal traction in challenging weather. The available turbocharged 2.0L engine is peppy and smoothly accelerates from idle. The second-row seats recline for extra passenger comfort while also folding in a versatile way to optimize cargo storage. The driver-assist safety features give you the extra pair of eyes you need to stay out of harm’s way.

Sportage

Climbing the SUV ladder from the Seltos is the Sportage. This car is priced in the mid $20,000 range. It earned a perfect 5-star Kelley Blue Book consumer rating. The power liftgate, flexible back seat adjustments, available under-seat storage, heated/ventilated seats, and wireless charging are features any family would utilize on a regular basis. The available 240 horsepower engine packs a punch giving the driver confidence rolling down the highway.

Telluride

Telluride is Kia’s top-of-the-line SUV and is priced in the mid $30,000 range. It has available all-wheel drive and corner control features to maintain safe stability on uneven roads. It’s loaded with safety features like blind spot detection, collision avoidance, lane keep assist, and rear occupant alert so that your family is always safe. It can comfortably seat eight passengers, and even the second-row seating can be heated and ventilated. The Telluride Nightfall Edition offers a unique blacked-out look for an edgier appearance. The Comfort, Eco, Sport, and Smart drive modes allow the driver to optimize the car’s handling depending on the circumstance. The 5,000-pound towing capacity is impressive if you have work equipment or weekend toys to haul.

Carnival MPV

The MPV means multi-purpose vehicle. The Carnival replaced the old Sedona minivan and is very versatile for a family on the go. It has best-in-class power and cargo space. It can accommodate eight people, and the Slide-Flex seating makes it versatile to balance passengers and payload. The second-row seats recline while the third row sinks into the floor for more storage and cargo options. Conveniences like a hands-free rear liftgate are nice when your arms are full. LATCH child seating features in both the second and third rows too. The intercom system to talk to the back of the vehicle means you don’t have to yell to tell them you’re not there yet. This is a stylish SUV-like vehicle that is not your parents’ minivan.

A grey 2022 Kia EV6 is shown from the side parked in front of a mountain.

EV6

We wanted to make a quick callout to the all-new EV6. This is a premium-priced vehicle that is built on a new electric platform. It has an ultra-modern design and can go an estimated 300 miles on a single charge. Plus, you can charge for an additional 200 miles in under 20 minutes. This vehicle will tow 3,500 pounds, act as a power generator for your appliances, and reach 60 MPH in 5.2 seconds. There is currently a waiting list for it, so the demand is real.

Kia is a Smart Value

While we’ve listed some of the most popular models in the 2022 Kia lineup, this is far from an exclusive list. Kia has come a long way in the past few decades, and its lineup just keeps getting better which each passing year. From conventional SUVs like the Telluride to cutting-edge electric vehicles like the EV6, Kia has something for nearly any driver.