Skip to main content

Kia (Page 19)

Kia

In this section of Torque News you can find the latest news from Kia and news about Kia vehicles. Keith Griffin is the Hyundai/Kia news reporter at Torque News and can be followed on Twitter at IndepthAuto.

Kia became a company in the 1940s but didn’t sell its first car in the U.S. until 1992. It now sells in over 180 countries. Since joining forces with its Korean rival Hyundai in 1998, Kia models have come a long way from what they used to be and are now well-designed vehicles with the latest the industry has to offer.

The combined Hyundai – Kia operation is the fifth largest automaker in the United States. Kia has a manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia where it produces three models: the top-selling Telluride CUV, Sorento CUV, and the new K5 midsize sedan. It also ships vehicles for sale in Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean and Pacific nations.

Here’s a little bit of trivia for you. The word “Kia” is derived from the Chinese characters Ki, meaning to “arise or come up out of” and a, referring to Asia. So when put together, Kia means to “arise or come up out of Asia.”

Kia’s extensive lineup includes sedans and SUVs of all sizes, hatchbacks, a minivan, an all-electric model, hybrids and plug-in hybrids, a quick and sporty four-door hatchback, and a large and very luxurious sedan.

Unlike Hyundai’s more conservative lineup, Kia offers sportier designs and driving dynamics. The quick Stinger GT and Forte GT are fun-to-drive examples while models like the Optima, Sportage, and Telluride offer sleek and sporty looks.

The Telluride, K5 and Forte models are some of the brand’s top sellers. Other models include the Soul hatchback, the Niro hybrid SUV, the Rio, the Sedona minivan, and the Niro EV. The Stinger is Kia’s rear-drive sports car and the Cadenza and K900 big sedans are the brand’s luxurious offerings but have some of the poorest sales in the lineup.

New models include the big three-row Telluride SUV, the compact Seltos SUV, the the Soul EV, and the sporty K5 that replaces the Optima for 2021.

Below is a list of Kia’s models with starting prices (excludes delivery charges):

  • 2021 Kia Seltos – $21,990
  • 2021 Kia Soul – $17,490
  • 2020 Kia Niro – $24,590
  • 2020 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid – $29,400
  • 2021 Kia Sportage – $23,990
  • 2021 Kia Sorento – $29,390
  • 2021 Kia Telluride – $31,990
  • 2020 Kia Rio – $15,850
  • 2021 Kia Forte – $17,890
  • 2021 Kia K5 – $23,390
  • 2021 Kia Stinger – $33,090
  • 2020 Kia Cadenza – $37,850
  • 2020 Kia K900 – $59,900
  • 2020 Kia Niro EV – $39,090
  • 2021 Kia Soul EV – Discontinued?
  • 2021 Kia Sedona – $30,400
By Nicolas Zart on September 29, 2012 - 3:07PM
Kia showed us a gorgeous looking Optima at AltCar Expo, this time in hybrid mode. But does beauty support what the ride should feel like?
By Aaron Turpen on September 14, 2012 - 3:44PM
By Denis Flierl on September 13, 2012 - 7:51AM
The 2013 Kia Rio SX was inspired by Kia’s B-spec motorsports program and now comes optioned for driving enthusiasts.
By Patrick Rall on August 27, 2012 - 9:00PM
Before driving the 2012 Kia Soul!, I really didn’t think much of the funky little crossover beyond the ultra catchy television commercials featuring the hip hop “Hamstars” but after spending a week driving the Soul!, I’ve learned that this vehicle is way more than just a fun advertising campaign.
By Patrick Rall on August 27, 2012 - 8:57PM
By Patrick Rall on August 27, 2012 - 8:53PM
By Aaron Turpen on August 20, 2012 - 2:32PM
Kia will be releasing the new 2013 Sorento to markets later this year and the newly-upgraded crossover will include revised GDI and diesel engines.
By Armen Hareyan on August 6, 2012 - 4:48PM
By Aaron Turpen on July 31, 2012 - 2:24PM
Kia has revealed photos of the upcoming 2014 Forte / Cerato model (known as the K3 in Korea).
By John Goreham on July 27, 2012 - 12:53PM
Some well-deserved wins by the established premium brands, but one company is quickly coming up the ranks. Another winner is now killed off by its maker. Can you guess which?
By Patrick Rall on July 24, 2012 - 5:27PM
Kia Motors has just released a pair of artists renderings of the 2014 Kia Cerato known now in Korea as the K3 – or as we know it the 2014 Kia Forte sedan – that will arrive in the Korean domestic market during the first quarter of 2013 before reaching the rest of the world.
By Patrick Rall on July 18, 2012 - 11:22AM
The new rear wheel drive Kia flagship sedan has previously been known as the K9 and while that name will exist in the Korean market, the new full sized sedan sold in the US will be named the Kia Quoris.
By Keith Griffin on June 24, 2012 - 9:55PM
Kia racing had to head north of the border but it finally has not one, but two victories thanks to wins at the Pirelli World Challenge Championships at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
By Don Bain on June 19, 2012 - 5:59PM
The 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid is an attractive option in the hybrid sedan segment, one that is still growing despite several months of relatively stable gasoline prices. With an EPA rating of 40-mpg highway and a base price of $25,700, this vehicle warrants the hybrid buyer's consideration.
By Don Bain on June 18, 2012 - 2:28PM
The 2012 Kia Sportage has been named to Top Cars for Teens by the Automobile Association of America. The Sportage was picked for laudable dynamics, dependability, value and a long list of standard safety features, plus top performance in the NHTSA crash tests.
By Keith Griffin on June 18, 2012 - 7:35AM
Kia, which continues to set sales records, is giving a makeover to its top-selling U.S. vehicle: the 2013 Kia Sorento.
By Don Bain on June 18, 2012 - 1:23AM
As the Third Annual Rocky Mountain Driving Experience neared its conclusion, Acura, Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi and Nissan had their vehicles at the Core Off Road Extreme to demonstrate their ability to negotiate unpaved, ungraded roads with plenty of twists, turns, bumps and unlevel surfaces on the 2-mile rally track.
By Patrick Rall on June 11, 2012 - 5:04PM
There was a point in time where the suggestion of a great looking Korean sport sedan that had the brass to back up the title would have been little more than a joke but Kia is one of the American auto industry’s most improved brands over the past few years – a fact clearly illustrated by the 2012 Kia Optima SX.
By Keith Griffin on June 6, 2012 - 8:28PM
Pau Gasol may never fit in a Kia, but he fits the Korean OEM's profile for community service and has been named the recipient of the first-ever season-long Kia Community Assist Award in recognition of his efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work.
By Anthony Faccenda on June 6, 2012 - 2:43PM
The safety recall is the automaker's fourth this year and second in two days.
By Anthony Faccenda on June 5, 2012 - 8:41PM
This is Kia's third airbag-related recall this year.
By Don Bain on May 8, 2012 - 5:19PM
A new Carfax study has revealed over 2.7 million used cars with ignored auto recall issues are currently endangering the safety of commuters nationwide, reflecting the number of manufacturer mandated repairs simply not completed during 2011.