The Sleek and Stylish 2022 Kia K5’s Potent Powertrains: Which Engine Should You Choose?

At Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis, we love the K5 because it has all of the modern comforts and technological features that we want in a sedan, while still bearing the aggression of an available turbocharged engine (in the GT trim level). It is an excellent value presiding over its very popular category! This is the midsize sedan that replaced the Optima last year after receiving a complete redesign; it tops the midsize sedan rankings in first place as far as the Edmunds.com automotive writing staff is concerned.

The very luxurious and lavish exterior is a sight for sore eyes in a model category that sometimes plays it safe as far as appearances go. The K5 is very comfortable, high on the value factor, and all-wheel drive is available on certain trims. Fuel economy is nearly identical to other top choices in its segment, and the available trunk space is more than what you get in the consistent and very determined rival in the form of the Toyota Camry. 

With two engines to choose from under the hood of the K5, here’s our detailed look at the pair to assure that you drive happily off the lot with the option that is best for you!

The 1.6-Liter turbocharged 4-cylinder is the base-level engine in the K5 and is what most drivers are currently gravitating towards. With front-wheel drive, it achieves excellent fuel economy numbers and delivers sufficient performance for the daily driver who also has a few extended weekend trips on their schedule. 

The all-important result of peak torque delivery arrives early in the range, and the turbocharger is the hero saving the day here: it basically serves the function of an air compressor running on exhaust instead of power sourced from electricity. This also adds to an engine trait that many take into heavy consideration during their purchase: rapid power off the line.

The 2.5-Liter Turbocharged 4-Cylinder enjoys its stance as the more muscular of the two, and you’ll notice the significant performance upgrade the very thrilling second you first get behind the wheel! This gives this very practical family sedan a trait that will always enjoy about it: it's efficient and great for everyday use, but still becomes thoroughly exciting to drive at the GT level! 

Even though it’s not quite as fuel efficient as the base engine, premium gas is not a requirement, so fuel costs still hover at a fairly reasonable level. As you hit the road with this noticeably different performance enhancement, you’ll also notice a few others courtesy of the GT-Line: it comes with a sport-tuned suspension and paddle shifters, deeming it that much more driver-focused and deliberately fun!

For the Show-Stopping Finale and Pick of the Two, we believe that going with the GT-Line trim level is the best option. Without climbing up too far in price, it enhances the sporty factor of this already modern sedan and includes top-level features such as the popular wireless smartphone charging pad, cloth and simulated leather upholstery, larger 10.25-inch touchscreen display, and power-adjustable driver’s seat. 

2022 Kia Carnival Post-Year-Long Test from Cnet Crew: “It’s Absolutely a Keeper”

Here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis as we think about all the marked spots on our busy calendar, we realized that sometimes a year can feel like an eternity, but sometimes 12 months just fly right by. The Cnet auto testing team concurred that after a full year of driving the Kia Carnival, it deserves to “be brought home for the long haul”. Also headed into their task with a full-on understanding that minivans suffer from the stigma that they are simply not hip, they concluded by stating that the Carnival will enthusiastically do anything an SUV can, and look stellar doing it!

They opted for the fully loaded Carnival SX Prestige and felt during every single drive that it always was swinging way above its class. Inside and out, the Carnival was constantly earning compliments, and one impressed coffee barista told Editor Chris Paukert that it was the “fanciest Kia they had ever laid eyes on”. Some of the features that were earliest appreciated were the very rich two-tone Tuscan umber and black leather upholstery, along with the extensive metal detailing throughout the cabin. 

After a full year of wear and tear and all varieties of driving types, the cabin still looked and felt as solid as it did the very first day it had arrived at the team off the lot. One of the most noticeable results of the efforts to make the Carnival “not look like a minivan” was a tall order to follow through with, but Cnet along with many other auto experts claimed that the task at hand was handled amazingly. Another one of the “huge win” factors is the VIP Lounge seats: these second-row captain’s chairs slide forward, left and right, and backwards, and also come equipped with full power adjustment so you can recline them for even more luxury. 

This is an excellent feature for anyone dragging dogs along in tow, and they also make the Carnival much easier to use for delivery jobs and larger groups of people for sports or other awesome summer activities! The 12.3-inch displays are available on higher-end models, and Kia’s signature brand of multimedia software is user-friendly and helpful right from the start. Another tech feature that the team was enamored with was the Highway Driving Assist, which they deemed as “The best system short of a true hands-free highway driving feature”.

The movement was very natural and imitated the way that a human would behave and react to on-road situations. The team not once had to have it veer into a different lane or ride on the shoulder, and thereby had a lot of confidence with the system engaged. Most Missouri families will also be glad to hear that road trips are what the Carnival did best, with the ideal ride height for highway cruising and the extreme comfort factor to really sprawl out and enjoy the distance at hand. Even though some of our other esteemed models such as the Telluride have all-wheel drive, this was the ideal family-mover and daily driver that the Cnet team was genuinely sad to see go! 

2022 Kia Forte is Fantastic Summer Choice with Turbo GT Model, High-Performance Sport Premium Package

With a fresh new front and rear design, sporty appearance, new performance options, high-tech driver assistance, and an extremely efficient non-hybrid version, the 2022 Kia Forte shows up strong in all the areas Missouri drivers are looking for.

Even though this is technically a compact sedan, the Forte’s cabin is roomy, and the back seat can host two adults while offering extreme comfort, with room for three if need be. Every 2022 Forte comes standard with front-wheel drive, disc brakes, electric power-assist steering, power windows, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, and remote keyless entry. After that, the performance range divides into the FE, LX, LXS, and top-of-the-line GT model. 

The FE, LXS, and GT-line all come with the punchy power source under the hood in the form of the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, paired nicely with an automatic transmission. The GT and GT MT feature a more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged engine instead, which is paired with either a 6-speed manual that we are extremely excited about, or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. We know that during this summer, gas efficiency is a concern on everyone's minds, and the Kia Forte FE is the fuel efficiency champ of the lineup.

You'll also be enjoying standard equipment such as an 8-inch touchscreen center display with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, two useful 12 Volt power outlets, cruise control, and USB multimedia. The LXS adds to the stellar equipment list with 60/40 split folding rear seats, an amazing soft-touch dash, upper door panels, and ready-to-take on urban terrain 16-inch alloy wheels. 

Whether you are just getting through the workweek’s driving or shuttling the family around, the available access technology package also adds blind spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, heated outside mirrors, and safe exit warning. 

The 2022 Kia Forte GT line starts at an amazingly low price for the great features it offers. With this model, you’ll be cruising with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and fog lights, door handle pocket lighting for the front doors, gloss black exterior, the GT line signature emblem, alloy sport pedals, and a wide range of upgrades for the interior, and it doesn’t end there! The GT2 package gives you a power sunroof, 10-way adjustable power driver seat, heated ventilated front seats, Centex seating material, and a 320-Watt Harman Kardon 8 speaker audio system.

Summer’s Sizzling Vehicle Spotlight: Segment-Leading Features of the 2022 Kia Telluride

The massive popularity of mid-size SUVs continues to explode, and that means that almost every dealer like Jim Butler Kia has a model with tons of acclaim. In our case, the popular Telluride SUV has proven to be a massive value and award-winning anchor of superiority. The knowledgeable bloggers at Slashgear cooked up a great feature over the past week highlighting killer traits of the Telluride that make it sizzle for summer!

Here are some of the reasons that the Telluride will always reside at the top of any savvy car lover’s list:

The Voracity of a Snarling V6: The always-capable power source under the hood for the 2020 Telluride comes from last year's model. It's an awesome 3.8-liter V6 that cranks out 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission as standard, it will be easy blasting on up to 60 mph and just 7.2 seconds with an exhilarating top speed of 141 mph.

Exemplary Exterior: The 2022 Telluride now features entirely refreshed looks, with a redesigned grille and our great-looking new logo placed up front. The rivals look rather forgettable and drab, but the traditional tiger-nose grille and daytime LED running lights are unique and come in the three new options of Midnight Lake Blue, Dawning Red, and Jungle Wood green for a total of eight great hues.

Lavish Luxury Inside: Even the Telluride’s base spec versions have a luxurious feel to them. The top trims are even more upscale and provide a level of finish that’s most comparable to premium luxury rivals like Land Rover. The top-of-the-line SX Prestige comes loaded with features such as a heads-up display, heated and ventilated rear seats, and a heated leather steering wheel. Rivals in the segment such as the Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia have similar prices but come with much cheaper hard plastics and not nearly as many upper-level features included as standard.

Massively Adjustable Three-Row Seating: The main function of any SUV of this size is to haul the family around in comfort, and the Telluride can seat up to eight individuals without a problem. There is one configuration that offers a pair of second-row captain’s chairs that seat seven, or a bench seat in the second row making room for 8 max. As the hot summer progresses and it’s time to take the clan to exciting amusement parks and great-weather sporting events, the second and third-row seats can be independently folded to make room for XXL or differently shaped cargo. 

Engrossing and Modern Infotainment: The Telluride is a great example of a vehicle that is full of the latest infotainment and connectivity features, with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a beautifully boomin’ six-speaker audio system coming standard. Each trim now features a 10.3” touchscreen, replacing last year’s 8.0-inch unit. Onboard are enough ports for every passenger, with 5 USB charging ports and 3 useful 12V power outlets in different locations throughout the vehicle. Driver Talk is also available to amplify the driver’s voice louder for those in the back seats. On the other side of the coin, passengers in the second and third row can sleep in peace with Quiet Mode, allowing uninterrupted REM time while those in front continue to listen to their choice of programming.