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Are Kia used cars a good purchase?

If you’ve been busy comparing the latest used vehicles available, you’ve probably ran across a Kia or two. A growing number of American shoppers are including this brand in their used car comparisons.

Today’s new Kia represents a quantum leap over the vehicle’s reputation of the late 1990s. Although the latest Kia Forte and Soul represent great values when bought new, does the same hold for used examples?

Find out if the Korean automotive brand represents a good value. Afterwards, you can find competitive insurance rates for the vehicle of your choice from the comfort of your own computer.

Kia: A Rising Star in the Automotive Market

Introduced to the U.S. market in the mid-1990s, the Korean automaker did its best to provide American customers with the most affordable vehicles around.

Unfortunately, these vehicles quickly earned a rep for not being the most reliable or well-built vehicles on sale. Nevertheless, the company sought to improve its offerings and fine-tune them to suit U.S. tastes.

Involvement with fellow Korean manufacturer Hyundai and a sharpened focus on quality and reliability gave it a new lease on life. In 2009, Kia became the 8th best-selling car brand in the United States.

Today, Kia represents excellent value with good overall reliability, a far cry from the days of old.

On the Road of Improvement

The company still has a ways to go. According to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, the average Kia had 169 problems per 100 vehicles.

This ties the Korean automotive brand with Volkswagen, but it’s still far below the industry standard of 132 and part-owner Hyundai’s 125 per 100 vehicles.

Meanwhile, a 2007 study by independent automotive warranty specialist Warranty Direct rated Kia’s offerings as number five in reliability, ahead of established German automotive makes.

It’s an excellent accomplishment that any automaker would be proud of.

A New Focus in Reliability

America’s first foray with the Korean motoring brand started with the first-generation Sephia and Sportage of 1994.

While both vehicles won America’s interest on price, its overall quality, fit and finish left plenty to be desired. These vehicles quickly became known for crapshoot quality and questionable reliability. Some owners have had decent experiences with these vehicles. Others were left disappointed.

Kia’s come a long way from the days of the days of the Sephia.

After the company’s acquisition by fellow Korean automaker Hyundai, the company made a concerted effort to improve the overall quality and reliability of its vehicles.

This included improving the interior quality, drivetrain components and overall fit and finish of every vehicle it sold.

To drive that point home, Kia offers its entire vehicle lineup with one of the longest factory warranties of any automaker. Each Kia comes with a 10-year or 100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty along with a five-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty.

These warranties give Kia customers plenty of peace of mind when it comes to owning one of these vehicles for any significant amount of time.

Is Buying a Used Kia a Good Deal?

Consumers have plenty of good reasons for buying a used vehicle. For starters, used car buyers don’t have to deal with the inevitable depreciation that happens as soon as you leave the lot. Secondly, a pre-owned variant of a popular automotive offering features a sizable discount over its newer counterpart.

New Kias are already priced rather competitively, but getting an even better deal on a used Kia is always a charm. The most recent line of Kia models represent a great deal when purchased used.

This is especially true of vehicles like the Kia Soul and Optima. Even relatively unloved models like the Sedona minivan represent a sterling value.

Final Verdict

Although Hyundai got involved in the company as early as 1998, cars like the Spectre took a while to be revamped according to the new standards.

To stay on the safe side, it’s best to stick to the 2004 model year and up. On the other hand, if you’re thinking about purchasing a Kia is only a couple years old, go for it. Vehicles of this vintage have proven themselves to be reliable time and again.

When you finally decided on purchasing a used Kia, don’t forget to compare car insurance rates online for FREE!