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
