“We are honoured that Forte and Soul took the top spot in their respective segments,” said Orth Hedrick, executive director, Car Planning & Technology, Kia Motors America. “These wins reflect Kia’s ‘Give It Everything’ spirit, the commitment to deliver world-class vehicles that stand out from the competition with a plethora of standard equipment, industry-leading warranty and outstanding craftsmanship.”

Both models were competing in the $25-$30k (U.S.) category.

FORTE

U.S. News & World Report applauded Forte for reliability as well as the vehicle’s numerous Kia Drive Wise advanced driver assistance technologies. Forte provides occupants with a comfortable and well-appointed cabin as well as numerous standard technologies to enhance convenience, including an eight-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The 2019 Forte achieves an EPA-estimated 7.7/5.9 City/Hwy (L/100km) for all automatic (IVT) transmission models.

Following a full redesign for 2019, the Kia Forte sedan is now a top-ranked compact car and a standout option for your teen driver. The Forte was a finalist for our 2019 Best Compact Car for the Money award, meaning it’s a great value. The Forte also has plenty of space for your teen’s friends and gear, as well as a laundry list of safety features that are available to help keep them safe. Here’s what the USN&WR judges had to say:

“Several safety features are standard on a base Forte LX (IVT), including Forward collision-avoidance assist, Lane-keeping assist (LKA) and Driver attention alert system (DAA). If you step up to the EX trim, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert also come standard. The top-of-the-line EX Premium trim adds Smart cruise control (SCC), Advanced forward collision-avoidance assist, UVO Intelligence™ connected car services and Smart key with push-button start.

In addition to collision avoidance technologies, the Forte will also protect your teen if they’re in an accident. The IIHS gave the Forte a Top Safety Pick+ title, its highest designation for crash safety. Long-term dependability is also a selling point, as the Forte carries an above-average predicted reliability rating from J.D. Power.”

SOUL

Like the Forte, Kia’s iconic Soul was also honoured this year for earning an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating and available Kia Drive Wise technology. The 2020 Soul continues to surprise and delight with next-gen infotainment and technology standard across the lineup, including seven-inch touch screen as well as standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Soul also offers the UVO hands-free infotainment system to help drivers keep their hands on the wheel. The USN&WR judges had this to say about the Soul:

“Among the Soul’s many strong suits are good gas mileage and above-average cargo space.

The Soul also offers an abundance of safety features. It comes standard with a rearview camera. Blind spot monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and rear cross-traffic alert are all standard on the next trim level up, known as the Soul EX.

On select models, parents can keep an eye on their teen with Kia’s UVO technology, which can send alerts to your phone if they pass speed limits, geographic boundaries, or curfews you set.”

Do you need a safe and reliable vehicle for your new drivers? Click the TEST DRIVE button below to schedule a complete guided tour and road test of the model that would best suit your family.