Are Kia Cars Better Than Honda Cars?

Honda is ahead of many of its competitors with its emphasis on performance and efficiency. While Honda excels in many ways, rivals like Kia are starting to catch up. Kia has made considerable progress in boosting its reputation over the last few years. 

Anyone might even wonder: Does Kia do anything better than Honda now? In this article, we look at Honda and Kia to determine if Kia is doing better in any way.

Performance of Honda Vs. Kia Cars

Honda and Kia present two distinct flavours regarding performance offerings. Critics rave about Honda because of its lineup of forceful and fuel-efficient models. On the other hand, Kia vehicles earn praise for their style and gentle ride quality. 

As far as standout models go, Honda has a few. Honda’s midsize Accord sedan is an all-around performer thanks to potent engine options and upscale interior. The Accord outranks its Kia rival, the K5 (formerly known as the Optima), on a few different lists.

Comparatively, the Honda Civic outpaces the Kia Forte with its reviews and sales figures in the compact car realm. Many also consider the Honda Odyssey as the better option over the Kia Sedona in the minivan class. There’s a similar story with the Honda CR-V and the Kia Sportage. Additionally, Honda has a winner in the midsize truck group with the Ridgeline; Kia doesn’t currently have a pickup. 

Where Kia competes so hard with the Honda is in the midsize SUV class. Kia’s Telluride SUV has impressed reviewers and buyers alike with its luxurious amenities at an affordable price point. The Telluride’s Honda competition here is the Pilot and Passport SUVs.  

Honda & Kia Reliability

Honda has the edge over Kia performance-wise, and the brand also has an advantage with predicted reliability. Honda currently sits at #5 on Consumer Reports’ list of most reliable car brands. 

Kia dropped significantly in the reliability ratings this year. Kia is ranked the 15th most reliable brand; that’s six points lower than the year before. According to CR’s data, Kia’s SUVs are more reliable than its cars, so that’s something to keep in mind as you shop. 

So is Kia Better than Honda?

Honda is a brand that does many things well, but Kia has a clear advantage regarding modern tech. New Kias comes with lots of in-car electronics at a lower cost than its competitors. Each new vehicle in the current Kia lineup comes with a user-friendly infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.

Honda is behind in the infotainment department. For instance, the 2021 Civic and the 2021 CR-V still don’t come with the smartphone apps we’ve come to expect today. Instead, Honda offers them as upgrades, which is nice, but the optional infotainment systems aren’t the most intuitive on the market. However, Honda and Kia are more evenly matched with the active safety features they provide.