Thanks to this little ol’ blog, I’ve had the opportunity to take week-long test drives in a few different Kia vehicles. I started out with the 2012 Kia Rio SX 5-Door, then the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid, then the Kia Sorento SX, and finally the Kia Forte {review coming this weekend}. Thanks to these experiences, I have determined 100%, without a doubt, that my next car will be a Kia.
Kia makes great cars that anyone would enjoy, but that are particularly perfect for families. We’ve put two of the Kias {the Optima Hybrid & the Forte} to the ultimate family test- a road trip- and determined that they are perfectly suited for family life. Here’s why:
1. Road trips can be incredibly boring, especially for a young child. There’s always the radio to listen to, but our road trips involve a four hour trip, with 3 hours of that being in the middle of the desert, often with little reception. Enter satellite radio! Now, it does require a subscription, and I know that other vehicles besides Kias have satellite, but I’m counting it because mine doesn’t even have the OPTION to have it so I loved that it came satellite-ready.
2. The interior fabrics are impressively stain proof. Not that I would know this from experience {ahem}, but should your three year old spill their chocolate milk in the backseat & all over the floor mat, simply rinsing it with water will do the trick if the chocolate milk is still wet. It will also make for some interesting stares if you choose to do this on the side of the road with water bottles because it’s a loaner car & you’re freaking out that you just broke it forever. I don’t think the material is literally called “stain proof”, it just IS in our experience.
3. Kia makes several varieties of vehicles, from the small Rio to the larger Sorento. They are all great cars from our experience, and so you just have to pick the one that’s the right fit for your family!
4. Kias are ridiculously affordable. When I first found out I was going to be getting a Kia to review for a week, I didn’t expect much. I’d seen the sticker price & figured you couldn’t get much for that. I was so, so wrong. I still have no idea how they manage to keep those cars so affordable when they have so many great features!
5. They’re smart. It’s the little things, like the placement of the car seat attachment in the Kia Forte, which makes it much easier {and safer} to install car seats. Anything that makes installing car seats easier is a huge winner in my book. &There are several other smart features like that- including the ability to retract your side mirrors to fit into tight spots. {Which I could have used that time I hit my garage with my car’s mirrors. Oops.}
Each vehicle individually has several more features that make it perfect for a family, but these characteristics have been universal with each Kia in my experience. &While we don’t have an exact timetable for buying a new car, we are positive that our next car will be a Kia. Right now, I’m partial to the Optima Hybrid but plan on test driving a few to be sure.
Have you ever had a Kia?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Colleen says
Stain proof is DEFINITELY an awesome feature. I’m not much of a music girl so I’ve never really used the satellite radio.
Angela says
I can’t believe how affordable Kia is, and their cars seem to be very well made with lots of great features.
Christa the BabbyMama says
Our KIA is the best – we love it 🙂 Its the perfect size for our family.
Vanessa: thequeenofswag says
Kia’s do make some amazing cars. I love driving them!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
Kia makes an amazing vehicle that is affordable. How can you beat that?
Tiff @ Babes and Kids says
I’m definitely sold on the stainproof and affordability. Those are must haves when you have a family. Plus they are pretty vehicles!
Lisa says
My parents and sister both have a Kia!
Dianna @ oyveyaday says
All it took for me to want one was the funny commercial where the guy parks in the too-small parking space and has to get out of the back of the car. It made me laugh. 😀
Of course, stain-proof fabric and all that other stuff helps.
HilLesha says
Never had a Kia, but they look nice!
Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? says
Stain resistant seats and easy to access carseat attachments? I’m sold!
Mom Foodie says
A friend of mine has a sportage & loves it.
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Are you kidding me with the stainproof thing? That’s crazy cool! I drove one once and really liked the higher ride but the smoothness of a car. Love the GPS feature in them so much!
Elaina- A Time Out for Mommy says
I love the affordability of Kias!
Sheri says
I have never driven a kia but they do look like really nice cars.
Stefanie says
For the money, Kia is a good car to buy!
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says
I’ve test drove several Kia vehicles and they were all amazing!
Mellisa says
Awesome features! I really need to check into a Kia.
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
I’ve never driven a Kia but my step-sister has been driving hers for years. She loves her van so much when she upgraded, she just got a newer model of the one she had before.
Leilani says
We purchased a Kia Sorento a few weeks ago and absolutely LOVE it!
Jenn- The Rebel Chick says
LOL I have done that before with rentals….it’s like instant panic mode and quick what do we have in the car to fix this haha. But seriously even semi stain resistant fabric is so important when you have little one’s.
Rachel says
Stain proof alone would be worth every penny!
Kelli Claypool says
Out of all the cars that I’ve had in the past, KIA is by far the one with exceptional customer service. I love the new styles and will continue to be a KIA fan with a new care in the next few months.
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
I haven’t tried driving a Mia — definteily sounds like it’s worth it!
Emily @FamilyNLifeLV says
Those are great reasons! I love that they put so much into the cars too!!
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
WE looked at Kias when we were car shopping two years ago.
Mumseword says
We tried a kia once. It was so so functional with lots of little nice perks.
Anne says
We need the stain proof interior! My kids are experts at spilling stuff
Maryann says
I got to drive a Kia Soul the other day and it was great
Kathleen says
We have a Kia van and that is what we are currently driving around the country this summer. Love them!
Katie says
stainproof is definitely a great selling point!
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
Stain Proof fabric is a MUST for any car we drive — the Kia looks so good too!
Jennifer The Quirky Momma says
We looked at a Kia can a few years ago. It was so nice but a bit over our budget at the time. I’d look at Kias again in a heartbeat!
April Golightly says
I like that they work well with car seats.
Jennifer H says
stain proof? Wow cool!
LyndaS says
It’s nice that they aren’t overpriced like some other vehicles.
Jennifer says
I’ve always wanted to drive a Kia, we don’t need a huge car so the Kias have always seemed like they would be a great fit.
Donna says
With a kid, stain proof is a huge deal. Really. When we’re in the market for a vehicle, I’ll definitely give the Kia a look
michelle J says
Kia offers very cool vehicles that come packed with a ton of extra features for the low price. I have my eye on the Kia Sportage!
Marcie W. says
We own a Kia and I absolutely agree with all five reasons!
Sara Phillips says
So this: “The interior fabrics are impressively stain proof.” … that’s HUGE! It would definitely play a role in my buying decision!
Which KIA do you think you’d purchase?!
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com says
With children, you have to love the stain-proof fabric