THE 2018 Kia Soul and Sorento were announced as winners of two of US News & World Report’s Best Cars for the Money awards. The awards recognize vehicles across 14 categories that represent the best combination of quality and value. Soul was honored with the Best Compact Car for the Money and Sorento claimed the Best 3-Row SUV for the Money.

“We are honored that Soul and Sorento were recognized as offering tremendous quality and value within their respective categories for the second consecutive year,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, Kia Motors America. “These awards are further proof that Kia vehicles are not only fun to drive, but also couple outstanding reliability with a low total cost of ownership.”

The US News & World Report rankings compare cars on the basis of safety, reliability and a consensus of industry experts’ opinions, along with value – which is measured by a combination of a vehicle’s five-year total cost of ownership and the average price paid for the vehicle at the time the awards are published.

“Winning for the second consecutive year, both the Kia Soul and Sorento continue to be class leaders when it comes to offering buyers a smart balance of quality features, utility, comfort and performance, as well as long-term value,” said Jamie Page Deaton, managing editor, US News & World Report.

As the “Best Compact Car for the Money,” the iconic 2018 Kia Soul urban passenger vehicle offers a fun, funky and functional approach to everyday driving. The 2018 model focuses on expanding the availability of UVO eServices across the model range, adding availability of the innovative infotainment system to the Base Convenience Package as well as to Soul Plus as standard equipment. The Soul Plus Primo Package now adds Smart Cruise Control (SCC)2 and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). Meanwhile, the new Plus Primo “Lit” Package includes HID headlights and LED positioning lights to enhance Soul’s on-road presence.

Kia’s popular 2018 Sorento SUV, the “Best 3-Row SUV for the Money,” offers refined utility and advanced technology. A third-row seat is standard on all 2.4L AWD and 2.4L LX AWD models. Sorento also offers a host of available driver assistance features3, including Autonomous Emergency Braking3, Forward Collison Warning3, Lane Departure Warning3, Advanced Smart Cruise Control3, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert3 and Dynamic Bending Lights3. — SG