Kia has been through a revolution in the past decade. The Korean manufacturer has always been known for reliability, but their recent models have come on leaps and bounds in both design and innovation. Unfortunately, when that happens to a manufacturer it often results in price increases, but Kia has mostly avoided this.
This commitment to keeping their vehicle costs (relatively) low is one of the reasons Kia has a larger market share in the UK than Nissan, Toyota, or Peugeot. But are Kia models worth buying, and if so, what are the best options?
The great news is that there are some excellent options in the Kia lineup and a diverse range of cars. In this article, I’ll take you through some of the best, and let you know my thoughts on the best Kia models for under £30,000 you can buy right now.
So which cars have I chosen? There’s a lot of variety on this list, and chances are if you are after a certain type of car, it’s here. So let’s get started…
The Five Best Kia Models For Less Than £30,000
The below list contains something for everyone – we have city cars, SUVs, and hybrid family cars. You might disagree with my rankings and that’s absolutely fine, but you can’t argue with the choice on offer from Kia at this price point. Remember, these are all new Kia models for less than £30,000.
Want to find out what those cars are?
5. Kia Picanto – From £12,250
The Picanto is the first Kia model on our list, and it’s an interesting car. This city car represents a lot of the great qualities that Kia puts into all their cars; plenty of tech options, excellent reliability, and good value. While this is all great to hear, there are a few areas that keep it from being higher on our list
| The Good | The Bad |
| Lots of tech options | The exterior design could be better |
| Competitive price | Lack of power |
| Surprisingly Practical |
The downsides to the Kia Picanto start with its design. A city car doesn’t have to be a head turner but lined up next to rivals like the Fiat 500 and the Toyota Aygo, the Picanto feels too tame. However, those rivals can’t come close to the starting price of the Picanto, and at just over £12,000 it’s hard to resist.
Inside the Picanto, you’ll be surprised at how practical it is. Ok, you can’t manage a long-distance trip with five people, but for city travel, it’s more than capable. The technology on offer is impressive too, making the Picanto a safer and more enjoyable place to be. Overall, in the city car sector, this is a great option.
4. Kia XCeed – From £21,835
I’m not sure where to start with the XCeed. The standard Kia Ceed is a fairly generic hatchback, and one day someone at Kia must have thought about turning this hatchback into a crossover and creating the XCeed. This was followed recently by the Kia Stonic, another crossover model, so I can’t understand the need for both cars.
The good news is that of the two, the XCeed is the crossover I would get. Like the Picanto, this is full of tech, but it has the looks to match. I love the design of the XCeed, with the muscular stance at the rear especially. Even inside, the layout and design of the interior is better than some cars double the price of the XCeed.
| The Good | The Bad |
| Impressive performance | Not as practical as its rivals |
| Great design | Options can get expensive |
| Plenty of technology |
It’s not all good news though. The design of the XCeed does make the rear passenger space slightly uncomfortable, and for a crossover practicality is key. You get a fairly generous amount of standard equipment, but any options are fairly expensive on the XCeed, so consider what you need.
Overall though, the combination of looks, standard equipment, and award-winning reliability makes the XCeed a great choice. Performance isn’t bad either from any of the options – be warned though, the hybrid options are over the £30,000 limit.
3. Kia Rio – From £14,900
Next up is the Kia Rio, a ‘supermini’ from the Korean manufacturer. This is larger than the Picanto, but it shares some issues with its smaller cousin. Fortunately, these aren’t enough to stop the Rio from taking third place on our list, although it’s a car that will disappoint some of you.
| The Good | The Bad |
| Excellent Warranty | Exterior design feels too ‘busy’ |
| Engine performance is good | Interior quality is behind its rivals |
| Competitive Price |
Let’s start with the positives. The Rio has class-leading reliability (as expected from Kia) and a seven-year warranty, so if you’re after peace of mind this is the car for you. The engine choices are fairly standard but the variety is better than what we usually see from Kia, so that’s a bonus. Technology is plentiful here too, another trademark from the brand.
There are areas that let down the Rio. The design could be better, and it’s a shame to see when you look at the other models in the current lineup. It’s especially disappointing as the supermini sector has some great-looking rivals, so I’d expect a few owners will be put off the Rio before seeing the best parts. The design issue continues inside the cabin, with a layout I would expect to find in a pre-2020 vehicle.
Overall though, we are talking about a car that starts at less than £15,000. This is incredible value for money, and considering the warranty offered the Rio is an absolute bargain. Some of you may be put off by the looks, but for some of you, the Rio will be an excellent choice.
2. Kia Niro – From £27,745
In second place is the Kia Niro, the first SUV on this list. This car feels like the opposite of the Kia Rio in some ways, starting with the design. It might not be to everyone’s tastes but I love the look of the Niro, especially the front end. Interior design is just as good, with a blend of digital screens and haptic controls. From the driver’s seat, the Niro feels like a premium car.
| The Good | The Bad |
| Fantastic interior design | Electric model is £36,000+ |
| Practical | Hybrid model is slow |
| Efficient hybrid system |
The Niro doesn’t sacrifice practicality either, with plenty of rear space for passengers and a healthy amount of boot space too, although it’s compromised slightly by the hybrid system. This leads us nicely on to the powertrain options – the Niro comes in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or electric. The Electric model raises the base price significantly, so unless you’re fixed on going full EV, the hybrid options are a good balance.
It’s not all perfect with the Niro. Performance from the hybrid engines is lacking, and this means the Niro isn’t a car anyone would describe as fun to drive. That won’t matter to most owners though, so overall it’s a minor issue.
At just under £28,000 the Niro isn’t a budget car, but it’s competitively priced in the hybrid SUV market against rivals like the Nissan Qashqai. The best option is the electric version, but the £36,000+ price tag is a steep jump.
1. Kia Sportage – From £27,250
In first place on our list is the Kia Sportage. This was a difficult list to put together, but the Sportage was always taking the top spot. Kia’s best-selling car in the UK (and the fifth best seller from any manufacturer) the Sportage isn’t a perfect car, but for most owners, it is pretty close.
As with every Kia model the technology on offer, particularly standard equipment, is excellent. Kia are rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the best brands when it comes to value for money, and the amount of equipment you get on the Sportage is a perfect example of this. What sets the Sportage apart from the other models we have covered is the material quality, which is an area you wouldn’t expect from Kia, and it’s great to see.
| The Good | The Bad |
| Interior quality and tech are fantastic | Ride quality isn’t the best |
| Great design | Hybrid models are expensive |
| Good choice of powertrains |
I’ve criticised some of the Kia designs in this article, but I can’t fault the Sportage. The design isn’t the best in it’s class (The Volvo XC40 has a better profile) but the Sportage doesn’t suffer from any bad design choices.
When it comes to engine options, Kia has impressed me here too. You have a wide variety of combinations including petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid, alongside choices for two and four wheel drive systems. It’s common now to see cars offered as both petrol and hybrid so this isn’t anything groundbreaking from Kia, but it’s still good to see.
There are some downsides to the Sportage though. The performance and handling feels like it’s been overlooked, and even with everyday driving the ride quality isn’t the best. If you can overlook these problems, and you’re in the market for a mid level SUV, it’s difficult to look past the Kia Sportage
Summary
There we are – my top five new Kia models for under £30,000. In summary, we have:
5. Kia Picanto – From £12,250
4. Kia XCeed – From £21,835
3. Kia Rio – From £14,900
2. Kia Niro – From £27,745
1. Kia Sportage – From £27,250
I’ll happily admit I’m not a huge Kia fan, but even I find it hard to argue with the variety and quality you can buy for less than £30,000 here. Ok, there are still areas where Kia can improve, most notably the ride quality and handling, but these are fairly small issues.
Fortunately, there’s an awful lot to enjoy here too, with some of the best reliability in the industry. There is plenty more I can mention but I’ve covered this already, so if you’re looking for a car that will give you some peace of mind and value for money, the Kia options on this list will be worth checking out.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and want to find out more, check out the links below:
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