To the outside world, Canada is thought of as a land of maple syrup, hockey, and politeness that exceeds the norm. While many of these assumptions have some degree of truth to them, there’s much more to Canada. We’re a country with a strong sense of empathy that believes in keeping an eye out for one another. As a result, there’s always been a necessity for vehicles that are geared towards consumers who are family-oriented and have a heightened emphasis on safety and cost-effectiveness. While there is certainly no shortage of manufacturers who adhere to both these attributes, Kia has continually provided viable options since it began selling vehicles in Canada in 1999.
When it comes to tracking down the ideal family vehicle, a Kia dealership will have no shortage of models with features that are synonymous with the effectiveness of the brand. Today, we’ll be taking a look at what options are ideal for the family-oriented Canadian consumer whose cargo often consists of passengers of the younger and shorter kind. So before you schedule that test drive, you might want to consider which model is right for you.
#1 – Kia Carnival
We’re starting our investigation with a model that doesn’t get the appreciation and praise it rightfully deserves. It was only a few short decades ago when the minivan was the most popular choice for families who needed safe and reliable transportation. While this title has recently been usurped by the SUV, Kia has kept the minivan alive and well in the new millennium in the form of the Carnival. Brand new for 2022, the Carnival replaces the Sedona and brings more SUV-inspired style to the segment. While the minivan was never known for its flashy powertrain or lightning speed, Kia upped the ante with a V6 engine and 290 hp. This is certainly formulated for the family who likes to have some fun on the weekends. Seating for eight means that the whole hockey team will have plenty of room.
#2 – Kia Sorento
More than once, manufacturers have presented a vehicle that offers low fuel consumption and a great deal of comfort in hopes of families running out to buy one. After all, not paying too much at the pump and keeping your kids in a state of semi-calm is the goal of any parent on the road. If you live in a province such as Saskatchewan or Alberta, then transporting your family around isn’t a matter of simply going from point A to point B but a matter of braving the harsh elements and making sure that you don’t find yourself drifting into a snowbank.
To combat the unpredictability of the weather, all Kia Sorentos sold in Canada come with standard AWD. An available 2,139 L of storage space means that this is the ideal road trip vehicle for navigating every millimetre of landscape, from Yukon to Newfoundland. For the family that makes saving money for the college fund a priority, the Sorento also comes in a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) variant to avoid frequent fill-ups at the pump. In fact, this electrified model can travel 51 km on battery power alone.
#3 – Kia Telluride
The three-row Kia Telluride is undoubtedly a top pick for a family SUV. Choosing a vehicle that perfectly reflects the values that our various communities are based around can seem like a nearly impossible task. After all, the Canadian family isn’t an institution that’s one-dimensional and linear. The typical family size differs from house to house, and the structure and composition of the people involved cover an even wider variety. However, the Telluride somehow manages to be the perfect fit for nearly every family.
The Telluride is the ideal trifecta of safety, style, and space that makes it the ideal family vehicle. With seating for eight and 2,455 L of available storage space, it’s got room for the kids and the luggage. Accentuated with a sleek design that’s more cost-effective than competing luxury offerings from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the children won’t mind being seen in the Telluride when they’re being shuttled around town. But most importantly, the Telluride is accentuated by a variety of safety features such as forward collision warning to ensure that you and your family make it to your grandmother’s house while you’re travelling over the river and through the woods.
#4 – Kia Niro
Not all families require a three-row SUV. As a matter of fact, a new family might prefer a more affordable compact model––especially if they live in a more urban environment. For the family that’s smaller in size, Kia makes a scaled-down SUV that might not be large in scope but can provide big things in the way of saving money that could be used towards that vacation you’ve always wanted to go on. With seating for five, the Niro provides a comfortable ride for the smaller-sized family. The standard hybrid powertrain is also extremely efficient, rated for just 4.6 L/100 km.
As far as providing space and economy to the family-oriented consumer, the Niro is one of the many ideal options that Kia has made available to the Canadian public. The 1,804 L of cargo space means you’ll have more than enough room for groceries, luggage, and everything else that you have to tote around on a semi-regular basis. For the family who favours economy and the environment, the Niro comes in two additional variants that will satisfy this need. The fully electric Niro EV will travel a total of 385 km on a full charge, whereas the Niro PHEV has an electric range of 42 km on top of its gasoline engine. For families who live on a single income, this is one of the best options. And much like the Telluride, its sleek and stylish design might just make your kids think that you’re an awesome parent with good taste.
#5 – Kia Sportage
Even before its complete and total redesign for the 2023 model year, the Sportage has been the ideal compromise between a vehicle that’s needed for a large family and the one that might only have to transport a few passengers from time to time. Seating for five and 2,087 L of available storage space makes for a versatile vehicle that can accomplish any task that you find yourself occupied with. For those who live in the colder provinces, intelligent AWD will make sure that the kids get to school on time, even when the weather is disagreeable.
And because the most important aspect of a vehicle that carries children around is safety, the Sportage comes equipped with forward avoidance assist, just one of the many features that will keep you and your offspring space in the unfortunate event of a collision. Kia has always placed its attention on safety, making it one of the most family-friendly manufacturers on the market today.
Kia and Your Kids Is a Winning Combination
The Canadian consumer with children to care for always needs to make mindful purchases with their best interests at heart. These 5 family-friendly Kia models embrace the values that are found in every community and every province, making every home full of welcoming warmth, even when the temperature decides it’s going to plummet for a few months out of the year.
