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Best Kia Model for President’s Day Deals

An abundant supply of the great 2020 Kia Rio sits on dealer lots. Pick one up at a good price during Presidents’ Day sales. You’re not going to find deals on Kia Tellurides, though.
2020 Kia Rio models

It’s good to be a Kia dealer. Sales are strong, even during the pandemic. That doesn’t mean there aren’t deals. Your best bet is going to be a 2020 Kia Rio – and you won’t be disappointed. You’re not going to find Kia Telluride deals.

As iSeeCars.com reports, new car sales are showing signs of recovery in 2021 after COVID-19 caused steep declines in 2020. Shoppers looking for a new vehicle have the choice of buying a vehicle from the previous model year, 2020, or the current model year, 2021.

Karl Brauer, iSeeCar.com’s executive analyst, told Torque News, “Brands seen as offering high value will often thrive during economic upheaval. We saw this during the Great Recession of 2008-2012, and we’ve seen it again over the past 12 months. In the case of Kia, the brand’s value image is compounded by attractive design across its model line, along with an all-new SUV — the Telluride — that’s been fully embraced by the market. The result is a brand in demand, with minimal 2020 models still sitting on dealer lots at the start of 2021.”

2020 Kia Rio 5 Door

The website also determined that the Telluride was the fifth fastest selling vehicle in January. Dealers only have a 17-day supply of them compared with the average of 46 days. It is also the seventh fastest selling used vehicle at 28 days compared to an overall average of 38 days.

The iSeeCars 2020 models study found that while the average new model has 22.5% of its inventory remaining from 2020, some models have more than four times that on dealer lots. These vehicles can provide tremendous bargaining opportunities on top of their advertised incentives and financing offers.

Among those vehicles with abundant supply is the 2020 Kia Rio. The refreshed 2021 Kia Rio isn’t that significantly different from the 2020 model if you’re looking to save some money.

2021 Kia Telluride

iSeeCars analyzed its national inventory of over 700,000 new cars for sale to determine which models have the most remaining inventory from the 2020 model year available.

Remaining 2020 Inventory - Kia

  • Kia Rio / 75.5%
  • Kia Forte / 7.8%
  • Kia Soul / 7.6%
  • Kia Sportage / 5.5%
  • Kia Sorento / 3.7%
  • Kia Stinger / 8.9%
  • Kia Sedona / 2.8%
  • Kia Telluride / 0.8%

The subcompact Rio stands out amongst other Kias, but its high proportion of 2020 vehicles is because the updated 2021 didn’t begin production until the end of 2020 and is just entering dealerships.

Also worth nothing - Kia Niro EV is not on the list. The 2021 model is not out yet, but there are still 2020s on dealer lots.

What do you think? Are you better off buying a 2020 Kia vs. a 2021 Kia? Comment below.

Keith Griffin covers Hyundai and Kia at Torque News. He has been writing continuously about cars since 2002. Keith used to be a researcher/writer for US News & World Report, as well as numerous car sites, including Carfax and Car Gurus, and a contributor to The Boston Globe. Most recently, Keith was the managing editor for American Business Media. Follow Keith at @indepthauto on Twitter, on @LinkedIn and on his Indepth Auto Facebook page.

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