Kia is the second largest South Korean automobile manufacturer, only out produced by its parent company, Hyundai.
What started in 1944 as a bicycle parts manufacturer, Kia has grown into one of the most reliable non-luxury automakers, earning J.D Power and Associate’s top ranking for vehicle reliability in 2016. From 2015 to 2019, Kia was recognized as the highest ranked brand in initial quality, with the Kia Telluride earning multiple best SUV awards since its introduction in 2020.
Kia has risen to being a legitimate contender against the Japanese powerhouses of Honda and Toyota. But how does car insurance for a Kia compare to other brands?
We compared average rates for all Kia models to see how the Kia brand ranks against the most popular automotive brands for car insurance affordability.
How much does Kia insurance cost?
Kia car insurance rates range from $1,482 a year for a Kia Soul up to $2,080 per year for the Kia EV9. As a monthly cost, Kia insurance ranges from $124 to $173 for full coverage.
The average cost to insure a Kia is $1,829 per year, which is 2.9% less than the U.S. national average car insurance rate of $1,883.
Mid-range insurance cost models include the Kia Forte, Kia Sportage, and Kia EV6. Annual insurance cost for those three models is $1,852, $1,858, and $1,958, respectively.
The table below shows the average car insurance cost for each Kia model produced since the 2013 model year. Models that are no longer produced have the last year of production noted next to the model name.
| Model | Annual Premium | Cost Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Kia Cadenza 2021 and prior model years | $1,708 | $142 |
| Kia Carnival | $1,962 | $164 |
| Kia EV6 | $1,958 | $163 |
| Kia EV9 | $2,080 | $173 |
| Kia Forte | $1,852 | $154 |
| Kia K5 | $1,828 | $152 |
| Kia K900 2021 and prior model years | $2,338 | $195 |
| Kia Niro | $1,626 | $136 |
| Kia Optima 2020 and prior model years | $1,736 | $145 |
| Kia Rio 2022 and prior model years | $1,708 | $142 |
| Kia Rio5 2021 and prior model years | $1,396 | $116 |
| Kia Sedona 2021 and prior model years | $1,422 | $119 |
| Kia Seltos | $1,694 | $141 |
| Kia Sorento | $1,800 | $150 |
| Kia Soul | $1,482 | $124 |
| Kia Sportage | $1,858 | $155 |
| Kia Stinger 2023 and prior model years | $2,092 | $174 |
| Kia Telluride | $1,978 | $165 |
Is Kia car insurance expensive?
Costing $1,829 per year, Kia car insurance is some of the cheapest you’ll find. Next to Honda and Mazda, Kia insurance rates are the lowest of any major auto manufacturer.
When compared to other Korean and Japanese brands, average Kia insurance rates are 1.7% cheaper per year than Hyundai, 7% cheaper than Nissan, 6.1% more expensive than Honda, and 6.1% cheaper than Toyota.
The chart below adds in Mazda and Subaru to the brands mentioned earlier and visualizes the insurance cost comparison between Kia and its top competitors.
It’s apparent by the chart above that Kia has some of the lowest car insurance rates among Asian automotive brands.
But how does Kia insurance compare to U.S. brands like Chevy and Ford, as well as luxury brands like Acura, Lexus, BMW, and Volvo?
The next table adds in all the popular automotive brands and compares the average insurance cost for each to Kia.
Average Kia car insurance cost is shown in the top row of the table. The difference column shows how much cheaper or more expensive each brand is when compared to the average Kia insurance rate of $1,829 per year.
If the difference value is red, this shows how much more expensive insurance for the comparison brand is than Kia. If the value is green, the brand is cheaper than Kia by the amount shown.
| Automotive Brand | Insurance Cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Kia | $1,829 | -- |
| Acura | $1,783 | -$46 |
| Audi | $2,449 | $620 |
| BMW | $2,487 | $658 |
| Cadillac | $2,039 | $210 |
| Chevrolet | $1,917 | $88 |
| Dodge | $2,359 | $530 |
| Ford | $1,978 | $149 |
| Genesis | $2,267 | $438 |
| GMC | $1,973 | $144 |
| Honda | $1,720 | -$109 |
| Hyundai | $1,861 | $32 |
| Infiniti | $1,990 | $161 |
| Jeep | $2,072 | $243 |
| Lexus | $2,106 | $277 |
| Lincoln | $2,095 | $266 |
| Mazda | $1,814 | -$15 |
| Mercedes-Benz | $2,743 | $914 |
| Mitsubishi | $1,842 | $13 |
| Nissan | $1,962 | $133 |
| Subaru | $1,809 | -$20 |
| Tesla | $2,301 | $472 |
| Toyota | $1,945 | $116 |
| Volkswagen | $1,771 | -$58 |
| Volvo | $2,122 | $293 |
Data Methodology: Rated driver is a 40-year-old married male with no driving violations or at-fault accidents in the prior three years. Uninsured Motorist (UM), Underinsured Motorist (UIM) and medical payments coverages are included. Insurance cost is averaged for all models for the 2024 model year for each automobile manufacturer. Updated February 23, 2024
As mentioned earlier, Kia has a great average car insurance cost. The Stinger is really the only model that could be considered performance, which helps keep the average cost for the brand low.
What is the cheapest Kia car insurance?
For 2024 models, the cheapest Kia to insure is the Kia Soul, which is a small SUV costing $1,482 per year to insure, or about $124 per month. The Kia Niro is the second cheapest to insure at $1,626 per year.
The Kia Seltos, Kia Sorento, and Kia K5 round out the rest of the top five cheapest Kia models to insure. The list below shows monthly and yearly average insurance cost for these five models, plus the automotive segment each belongs to.
Top five cheapest Kia vehicles to insure for 2022
- Kia Soul – (small SUV) Average annual insurance rate of $1,482 ($124 per month)
- Kia Niro – (small SUV) Average annual insurance rate of $1,626 ($136 per month)
- Kia Seltos – (small SUV) Average annual insurance rate of $1,694 ($141 per month)
- Kia Sorento – (midsize SUV) Average annual insurance rate of $1,800 ($150 per month)
- Kia K5 – (midsize car) Average annual insurance rate of $1,828 ($152 per month)