Kia debuts a trio of great-value vehicles
Korean automaker Kia has had some big moments at the Vancouver International Auto Show in the past few years, with its sporty Stinger and all-electric Soul stealing some thunder from the more expensive models on the convention centre floor.
The pandemic has not slowed that company's momentum, and while we won't be able to see this trio of new Kias at the convention centre this year, its worth diving deeper into these greatvalue-for-money vehicles.
We'll start with the newcomer to the Kia stable, the 2021 Seltos. Starting at $22,995 for the base LX FWD, the AWD requirement that most Vancouver showgoers want and need starts at $24,995 in the LX AWD. The Seltos' AWD system even comes with a differential lock (up to 60 kilometres per hour) like those on more expensive SUVs that will split and hold the torque evenly between the front and rear wheels for maximum traction in snow. AWD is standard, too, on the rest of the trim line that extends to the EX, EX Premium and SX Turbo.
There is no mistaking the fun this little compact delivers, especially in the SX Turbo, the most expensive of the models at $32,595. Stepping up to the 1.6-litre SX Turbo brings a huge gain in performance over the base 2.0-L engine found in lesser trims.
With 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque on tap, driving all four wheels via a revised seven-speed twinclutch automatic, the turbo is an engaging partner for this compact. Upshifts and downshifts are seamless, almost unnoticeable in most driving situations. A sport mode will hold the shifts a little longer.
All models below the topshelf SX Turbo get the 2.0-L four cylinder with 146 hp and 132 lb.-ft. of torque mated to a CVT transmission. This engine gets better fuel economy at 8.8 L/100 km city and 7.6 highway in AWD form, but it's far less smooth than the 1.6 turbo that can achieve 9.4 city and 8.7 highway. Not nearly as playful nor as quiet, the 2.0-L requires deliberate, full-on throttle.
Riding on a modified Hyundai Kona frame with more high strength steel, the Seltos feels lively and playful on roads that are anything but straight.
Filling a gap in Kia's lineup between the smaller Soul (with no AWD) and larger Sportage, and looking a little like VW's Tiguan, the Seltos boasts impressive rear-seat leg and head room, too, as well as decent cargo space at 752 L (220 more than a Kia Soul, more than a Nissan Qashqai or Mazda CX-30 but about 250 less than the bigger Toyota RAV4). A six-foot-two adult will easily fit in the rear seats, which also recline slightly.
Next up is the K5, which while not exactly a newcomer, does have a new name, as it replaces the Optima badge.
In addition to a new moniker, the sedan has also grown by two inches in length, one inch in width, and 1.8 inches in wheelbase over the 2020 Optima.
Inside the cabin is an eightinch high-resolution colour touchscreen with split-screen functionality and available satellite radio. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard for the eight-inch display, while an available 10.25-inch touchscreen adds server-based available navigation system with real-time traffic data, as well as new multi-connection Bluetooth, and connected user profiles.
Four trim levels will be available at four prices in Canada: LX AWD ($29,595), EX AWD ($32,595), GT-Line AWD ($35,995), and GT ($39,995).
All trims but the GT have a 1.6-L turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 180 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque, connected to an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission with available allwheel-drive.
The top-of-the-line GT features a 2.5-L turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 290 hp and 311 lb.-ft. of torque, paired to an eightspeed “wet” dual clutch transmission, driving only the front wheels.
Also available in the 2021 K5 is Kia's suite of advanced driver-assistance systems, with forward collision warning, forward collision-avoidance assist, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, driver attention warning, and lane-following assist as standard, with available forward collision avoidance assist.
Which brings us to the last but certainly not least of our Kia threesome, the refurbished-for-2021 all-wheeldrive Sorento, which includes 2.5-L engines and technology once reserved for expensive German sedans.
In an interesting twist of sibling rivalry, Sorento is no longer the big dog in Kia's expansive crossover-SUV lineup. That slot was usurped by the well-liked Telluride not long ago, leaving Sorento as what could have been described as the forgotten middle child.
For 2021, it is now wearing clothes which crib some style from its bigger brother, creating a sharp-looking machine that'll stand out in a crowd.
It would seem Kia's creation of a design team led by Peter Schreyer and Luc Donckerwolke — both of whom styled expensive vehicles during their time at the VW Group — is paying dividends.
This year, there are no fewer than a half-dozen trims of Sorento available to B.C. car shoppers. All of them are equipped with all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Every 2021 Sorento also gets driving aids like collision avoidance assist and lane following.
As one moves up the ladder, of course, snazzier features appear.