Kia has come a long way in recent years. From a ‘budget’ brand to a manufacturer winning awards left, right, and center, the current range includes some amazing cars & SUVs. Part of the appeal of modern Kia models is how great they are for everyday use too.
In this article, I wanted to cover my favorite Kia models for daily drivers. Across the current Kia range, you have SUVs, sedans, hybrids, and fully electric models, so there’s something for everyone. I’ll talk about why I like each car, what isn’t so great, and why these are the best models for everyday use.
Soul GT Line
- From $23,500
- 147 BHP
- 30 MPG Combined
The first Kia on our list is the Soul. This is Kia’s smallest crossover model, and although it’s not the most practical car, it’s perfect for city driving. Our favorite spec is the GT Line model – it’s $5,000 more than the base model, but that money gets you some useful and impressive features that make this an ideal car for everyday use.
Performance
The Soul GT Line is powered by a 2.0L, 4-cylinder engine. This produces 147 BHP, which isn’t exactly performance car standard, but it’s enough for daily use. This powers a front-wheel-drive system, so you miss out on some of the practicality from an AWD setup, but it helps to keep costs low.
Fuel Economy
The 2 Liter engine in the Soul will average 30 MPG from a combination of city and highway driving. For a gas-powered car this is on the higher side for fuel economy, and even in the city you should expect 27/28 MPG.
Kia hasn’t included the Soul in their hybrid range so far, and as a result this car is on the lower end of their range when it comes to fuel economy. We’d expect to see the Soul with a hybrid option in the near future, but for now the gas-only model is still an efficient car.
Comfort
As a crossover, the Soul feels a little cramped, and it’s not a comfortable car for longer journeys. The seats don’t offer much in the way of lumbar support, and front heated seats are an optional extra. It’s no better in the back either, but this isn’t a car designed to be luxurious. The Soul lives up to my expectations for comfort, and for shorter commutes, it’s manageable.
Practicality
As a crossover, the Soul is a practical car, but it can’t match up to full-size SUV models. The GT Line includes a sunroof as standard, so headroom is compromised, but you still have over 38 inches in the front and over 39 inches in the rear. That’s not quite hitting the magic 40 number that I like to see on daily drivers, but it’s very close!
Storage is another story in the Soul. You have between 18 and 24 cubic ft in the trunk, depending on the cargo board layout, and folding the rear seats gets you over 60 cubic ft of space. By any measurement, that is more than enough for daily use.
Quality
Kia has stopped up their interior quality in recent years, but you shouldn’t expect German sedan levels here. There’s a fair share of hard plastics in the cabin and plenty of high gloss paint that marks easily. There are some soft touch materials on the door panels, but overall you feel the pricetag shortcomings here.
Seats in the GT Line are only available in a blend of cloth and SynTex, a synthetic leather material. These seats are easy to maintain and keep clean, but they don’t feel as good as leather. Still, for a car at these prices, the seats are acceptable.
Technology
The Soul GT might be less than $25,000, but you wouldn’t think that judging by the technology included. Standard features include a digital driver’s display and a 10-inch central touchscreen. Apple & Android connectivity is standard, along with wireless charging.
You also have a rearview camera and a range of Kia’s driving assist tools, including lane keep assist & auto emergency braking. The Soul misses out on some tech found in the more expensive Kia models, but this is an impressive lineup for their entry-level SUV.
Along with standard options, the Soul GT Line comes with an optional Tech Pack costing $2,400. This sounds like a lot of money to spend on a low-cost crossover, but the Tech Pack comes with plenty to justify the cost. You get heated seats, a Harman Kardon sound system, and LED lights for the exterior. You also get some additional driving aids, including smart cruise control and highway driving assists.
Final Verdict
The Soul is a solid choice for an everyday driver if you need something low-cost and practical. You might be disappointed by the interior quality, but the technology mostly makes up for this. For under $25,000 you will struggle to find a better small SUV than the Kia Soul.
Niro Hybrid EX
- From $29,000
- 139 BHP
- 53 MPG
Next up we have the first Kia hybrid model on our list, the Niro. Kia sells the Niro in a range of powertrains and trim levels, but we’ve picked the Hybrid EX here. You get an impressive range of technology, a fantastic engine, and enough practicality for most owners.
Performance
The Niro Hybrid comes with a 1.6 engine combined with a full hybrid system. These systems create 139 BHP, which may not feel like much, but the Niro favors fuel economy over performance. You have two drive mode options, Sport and Eco, to help manage fun and practicality. The Niro comes with a Front-Wheel-Drive system too.
Fuel Economy
The Niro Hybrid system is this car’s main selling point, and it doesn’t disappoint. With a claimed 53 MPG combined, the fuel economy of the Niro is almost unbeatable as a daily driver. Even in the city, you should see average gas mileage above 50 MPG, making this perfect for short commutes.
Comfort
Like the Soul, the seats in the Niro EX are a combination of SynTex and Cloth. Unlike Kia’s smaller SUV, the seats in the Niro are more comfortable, with better headrests and more lumbar support. Heated seats are standard, which is a nice bonus and one of the reasons we picked the EX trim.
On longer journeys, both front and rear passengers can struggle here, but shorter trips are absolutely fine in the Niro. This brings us nicely to the practicality of this car…
Practicality
With just over 40 inches of headroom in the front and 39.6 inches in the rear, the Niro EX is a car suited to even the tallest drivers. If you want to stretch out there’s 41.5 inches of legroom in the front too, and although the central rear seat is small, you can manage 5 occupants for shorter trips.
You have almost 23 cubic ft of cargo space in the trunk and over 63 cubic ft of space with the seats folded down. Compared to other hybrids, where space is taken up by the motor/battery system, the Niro does a fantastic job of keeping that storage to a premium. For everyday use, when are you going to need more space than this?
Quality
Kia has paid attention to the overall quality in the Niro, and it shows. There are still some hard-touch plastics, but the interior feels premium, with chromed and painted surfaces. The EX model isn’t the highest spec in the Niro range, but upgrading doesn’t change a lot inside the car.
The Niro includes a haptic-style button layout, in combo with a main screen, and the quality here is solid. I’m a fan of physical buttons (instead of screens only), so I’m on the fence about the haptic system, but it’s well put together and worked every time for me.
Technology
Along with the haptic button system, your Niro EX comes with a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a digital display for the driver. Like the Soul, Apple & Android connectivity is here, and there’s a wireless charging port.
There are no tech packs on the Niro either. Features like ambient lighting and heated seats are standard on the EX, and part of the reason we believe it’s the best Niro trim.
Driver assistance tech is strong here, with smart cruise control and highway driving assist as standard. You also get access to Kia’s range of entry-level driving aids, including rear sensors, high beam assist, and lane keep assist.
Final Verdict
The Niro is an excellent daily driver, simply for the hybrid system. Kia sells this model with a standard engine and also a plug-in hybrid version, so there’s an option for every driver here. With reasonable practicality, a premium feeling interior, and great tech, the Niro is a car you can easily use every day.
Rio S
- From $17,400
- 120 BHP
- 36 MPG
Next, we have the entry-level Kia sedan, the Rio. There are a few great sedan choices from Kia, but I wanted to include the Rio on this list due to its affordability. At just over $17,000 for the S trim, you get a practical, well-equipped car, with solid fuel economy. For anyone needing a daily driver on a budget, the Rio is worth a look.
Performance
Powered by a 1.6L engine, the Rio S comes with only 120 bhp. I’ll admit that’s on the low side for power, but in a daily driver how often do you need the extra performance? There will be times with the Rio when you’ll wish for 200 bhp, but on most days, this car will be fine.
The Rio only comes in front-wheel drive, so it’s not the most practical sedan for difficult road conditions. This is a car designed for the city, but if you’re in a rural area, you probably won’t be looking at sedans anyway.
Fuel Economy
With a small engine and FWD, the Rio S can average 36 MPG, as claimed by Kia. This is a properly efficient engine, and for longer journeys you should see fuel economy figures above 40 MPG. This gas mileage is one of the main selling points for the Rio and a reason we picked this over their other sedan options.
Comfort
I’m a supporter of practical sedans over SUV models, but I’ll admit the Niro is a more comfortable place to be than the Rio S. The seat quality is similar to the Soul, and on longer journeys you’ll feel uncomfortable after a while.
There’s almost no lumbar support in the front, and the back feels slightly cramped. I think at this point it’s worth remembering the Rio started at just over $17,000, so for that value, we have to level our expectations here. Even so, the Rio feels like a disappointment when it comes to comfort.
Practicality
With just under 39 inches of headroom in the front of the Rio, this isn’t the most spacious car on this list. Even taller drivers should manage here, but if you’re sat in the back, the 37.4 inches will be an issue most plenty of adults. Legroom in the front is fine, but again for rear passengers, longer journeys will be difficult.
One area of focus for everyday drivers will be trunk and storage space. With 13.7 cubic ft in the trunk, this should be enough space for almost anyone’s daily needs. As a sedan, the Rio will always be less practical than the SUV models, but it should be fine.
Quality
For a $17,000 sedan, I can’t complain about the interior quality of the Rio S. The interior design isn’t ‘exciting’, and there’s a lack of soft-touch materials in the cabin, but this is a functional car at its heart. The physical controls work well, but everything is matte paint, without any chrome or high gloss finish.
I can mention the price again to justify this, but in general, the Rio isn’t an enjoyable place to sit every day. The interior has been designed to function, and in terms of accessing settings and features, it does a great job, but you won’t want to show this off to family and friends.
Technology
As standard, the Rio S comes with an 8-inch central touchscreen and a non-digital driver’s display. For a car at this price point, the touchscreen feels slightly basic, but you have Apple CarPlay & Android Auto to fix most of the complaints.
It would be good to see a digital option for the driver, but ‘traditional’ dials are fine, and you still have the same display screen if you upgrade to the Technology Pack. This package also comes with most of the Kia driving aids, such as lane-keeping assist. You also get a few extra upgrades, and it’s worth the $1,800.
The rearview camera isn’t the highest quality, but it’s a welcome addition for parking. The Rio S misses out on smart cruise control, but you get the standard function, which helps for everyday commutes.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for an alternative to an SUV, the Rio is worth looking at. It’s a budget car and you might be put off back a lack of premium features, but overall this model is great value for money.
Sportage Hybrid EX
- From $31,190
- 227 BHP
- 38 MPG Combined
For the final Kia on our list, I wanted to go with a more practical option, and something slightly more expensive. For this, I’ve chosen the Kia Sportage Hybrid EX. At just under $32,000 this is easily the most expensive car here, but I’ll talk you through why I think this is a great daily driver.
Performance
Like the Niro hybrid, the Sportage comes with a 1.6L engine combined with a full hybrid system. In the EX model comes with 227 BHP, with an All-Wheel-Drive system. The Sportage isn’t the smallest SUV, and you will need all this performance, but it’s surprisingly quick when you put your foot down.
Fuel Economy
As a hybrid, you’re expecting great fuel economy – it’s the reason you would pick this car over the regular Sportage. With a combined 38 MPG for a mid-size SUV this is an impressive number. It can’t get near the 50+ you’ll get in the Niro, but this is a far more practical car with an AWD system.
Comfort
The seats in the Sportage EX are comfortable enough for longer journeys, with a perforated SynTex finish. The EX trim features upgraded seats, and this is a major factor for choosing this trim over the entry-level LX. The lumbar support could be better here, but it’s a minor complaint, and even for rear passengers, it’s manageable for long trips.
Practicality
If you’re torn between the Niro and Sportage hybrid models, the practicality could swing it. With over 39 inches of headroom in the front and rear and over 41 inches of legroom, you shouldn’t have any issues in the Sportage. It’s worth pointing out that if you add the optional panoramic roof, that headroom drops to just under 38 inches, which could be uncomfortable for some passengers.
With almost 40 cubic ft of space in the trunk, this is a full-blooded SUV when it comes to practicality. If you need more space, folding the seats down will get you 73 cubic ft, and you have the option for roof bars too. If you need a daily driver that can handle trips away on the weekend, the Sportage is the best Kia for you.
Quality
The Sportage feels like a step up from the other Kia models we’ve covered when it comes to quality. There are still some hard plastic surfaces, but your cabin comes with fabric on the door panels and plenty of chrome and high gloss surfaces.
The seat material is an improvement too, and on the EX model, you have a choice of two color schemes. Our favorite, and for us, the best-looking design, is the two-tone gray and navy combination. The standard black and grey alternative is easier to maintain, but if you want a premium feel in your cabin, the gray/blue combo is the best pick here.
Controls in the Sportage Hybrid are a mix of touchscreens, haptic buttons, and physical dials & switches. The haptic section looks excellent, even if it takes some getting used to. The physical buttons don’t feel as premium, but you get a sense that Kia is focusing on moving away from physical controls anyway.
Technology
The Sportage Hybrid doesn’t disappoint when it comes to tech. You get dual 12.3-inch screens in the EX trim, with full navigation. Android & Apple connectivity is standard, so if you prefer your OS system to the Kia layout, it’s easy to use. There’s a combination of wireless charging in the front, along with USB-C ports in the front and rear so that everyone can charge their devices without arguments.
You get the usual Kia driving assists in the Sportage EX. These include lane keeping and following assistance, rear parking sensors, and collision avoidance assist. The SX Prestige trim has a few more tools, but you have all the basics here.
Final Verdict
The Sportage might be too expensive for a daily driver, but this price tag brings you one of the most capable and best equipped Kia’s. We’d strongly recommend the hybrid model for the extra fuel economy, but even as a gas-only model, the Sportage is a great SUV.
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