Kia has been doing rather well lately, with sales increases for the 2021 the calendar year in both Canada and the United States, and that’s comparing the numbers to 2019 instead of 2020 that was ruined by the spread of COVID-19.
In addition, and while the brand already had a couple of fully electric vehicles in its lineup, the latter is poised to feature many more with recently unveiled fully electric crossovers. Combine that with a fully lineup of cars and utility vehicles, and it’s no wonder Kia is on a roll as of late. Here’s what to expect from the Kia brand in 2022.
The 2022 Kia EV6 is the brand’s first dedicated electric vehicle, meaning it’s the first model developed from the ground up as an EV, riding on parent company Hyundai Motor’s new E-GMP platform. The EV6 is a five-passenger crossover available with rear-wheel and all-wheel drivetrains along with two battery sizes, while output will reach as much as 576 horsepower in a future high-performance GT variant. The EPA rated the EV6’s range at between 232 and 310 miles (373 and 499 km). In Canada, the initial allocation of 200 units has already been spoken for, and deliveries should begin in the spring of 2022. Meanwhile in the U.S., the batch of EV6 First Edition units was also scooped up very quickly, with first shipments scheduled to start in January.
Many mainstream manufacturers have given up on the passenger car segment to concentrate on crossovers, but not Kia. In fact, the latter is one of the few left to continue offering a subcompact car. The 2022 Kia Rio gets an engine immobilizer as the only change this year, after receiving a mid-cycle refresh in 2021. The Rio is still available in the U.S. in sedan and five-door hatchback configurations, equipped with a 120-horsepower 1.6L four-cylinder engine. The sedan was cut from the Canadian lineup last year, meaning only the Rio hatchback is still offered north of the border.
The compact Kia Forte receives styling revisions for the 2022 model year, along with a newly available 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and more advanced active safety features. The EX trim level has been dropped in the U.S., while the GT-Line variant with the base 147-horsepower 2.0L engine is now available in Canada, replacing the GT and its 201-horsepower, turbo 1.6L four—although the turbocharged GT Limited is still available.
The Kia Forte5 hatchback is available in Canada, but not in the United States. While it doesn’t offer the sedan’s base trim level and manual gearbox, it’s available as the EX with the 147-horsepower engine, while the GT and GT Limited variants get the 201-horsepower, turbo 1.6L mill. It gets the same styling changes as the sedan.
Introduced last year as a replacement for the Optima, the Kia K5 gets some new features for 2022, such as a Surround View Monitor, expanded wireless phone charging and navigation availability, and a new Premium package for the U.S.-market GT-Line. Front-wheel and all-wheel drivetrains are available across most of the lineup in the U.S., while the Canadian market includes AWD in all but the top-shelf GT. Powetrain choices include a 180-horsepower turbo 1.6L four and a 290-horsepower turbo 2.5L four.
The 2022 Kia Stinger want on sale in the summer of 2021 with mild styling changes and new alloy wheel designs. U.S.-market customers get to choose between a 300-horsepower, turbo 2.5L four or—which replaces last year’s 255-hp 2.0L engine—and a twin-turbo 3.3L V6 with 368 horsepower. In Canada, only the twin-turbo V6 is available. The Stinger gets some interior enhancements as well, including a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, some trim changes and ambient lighting.
The midsize Kia Cadenza and full-size Kia K900 luxury sedans have been discontinued from the U.S. market after 2021, and haven’t been available in Canada for a few years now.
The Kia Soul rolls into 2022 with virtually no changes, available in LX, S, X-Line, GT-Line, EX and Turbo variants in the U.S., and all but the Turbo get a 147-horsepower 2.0L four matched to either a six-speed manual or a continuously variable automatic, while the Turbo relies on a turbocharged 1.6 four and dual-clutch seven-speed automatic, good for 201 horsepower. Canada gets LX, EX, EX+, EX Premium and GT-Line Limited trims, all featuring the 147-hp engine and the CVT.
Meanwhile, the Kia Soul EV carries on largely unchanged as well, but it’s only offered in Canada for the time being. The fully electric crossover’s EV Premium trim gets a 134-horsepower motor and a 39.2-kWh battery, while the EV Limited boasts 201 horsepower and a 64-kWh battery pack, good for an estimated driving range of 383 kilometres (239 miles).
For 2022, the Kia Seltos gets a new Nightfall Edition in the U.S. that obviously features a blacked-out appearance, and it’s equipped with the SX AWD’s turbo 1.6L engine that develops 201 horsepower. The rest of the lineup gets a 147-horsepower 2.0L four and available AWD. A new 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard in all but the base LX trim, while more advanced safety features are now fitted as standard across the lineup. In Canada, the LX FWD, LX AWD, EX and EX Premium are equipped with the 2.0L engine, while the SX Turbo obviously receives the turbo 1.6L mill.
For what is probably its last model year before a redesign, the Kia Niro gets very few changes for 2022. The Niro Hybrid combines a 1.6L four with an electric motor and a six-speed automatic transmission for a total output of 139 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the Niro PHEV gets a bigger battery and an EV-only driving range of 26 miles (42 km), and the fully electric Niro boasts 201 horsepower and a driving range of 239 miles or 385 km. The 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard across all trim levels of the Niro EV in the U.S., but in Canada.
The 2022 Kia Sportage received no significant changes over the 2021 model, although a new Nightfall Edition was introduced in the U.S. market, replacing the Sportage S. The 2023 Sportage has already been revealed and should go on sale in early 2022, with bigger dimensions, all-new styling, new X-Line and X-Pro trim levels, available dual 12.3-inch digital display screens, a new 187-horsepower 2.5L four-cylinder engine and a hybrid 226-horsepower turbo 1.6L four, available AWD and more advanced safety features.
After being redesigned for the 2021 model year, the Kia Sorento returns with a few changes, including expanded availability of features such as heated rear captain’s seats and a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. Meanwhile, the 227-horsepower hybrid and 261-horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrains have arrived. Three rows of seats come standard for a capacity of seven passengers, while uplevel trims get second-row captain’s chairs, carrying a maximum of six occupants. A 191-horsepower 2.5L four is standard, while a 281-hp turbo 2.5L four is optional. Front-wheel drive is standard in the U.S., while AWD is optional, but included on all trim levels in Canada.
The Kia Telluride enters the 2022 model year with significant changes, although automatic climate control and 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen are now available on lower-priced trim levels. Every Telluride is equipped with a 3.8L V6 and an eight-speed automatic, good for 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. AWD is available in the U.S., standard in Canada.
The Kia Carnival is all-new for 2022, replacing the Kia Sedona in the Korean brand’s lineup and representing one of the now-rare vans in the North American market. It’s equipped with a new 290-horsepower, 3.5L V6 engine that provides a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds or 1,588 kilograms. Several trim levels are offered, along with seating for seven or eight, and features such as second-row VIP lounge seating, a dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system and a host of advanced safety features.
