As we get older, our driving requirements tend to shift. While every driver has their own preferences and style, such as Sedans, SUVs, and minivans, most seniors tend to prioritize specific features when buying a car. Whether it’s improved visibility, reliability, ergonomic seating, or improved accessibility, these features can make or break the driving experience for seniors. This article discusses some of the most valuable car features for seniors and the top 4 Kia cars.

Accessibility
Many seniors have accessibility issues and can find it difficult to get in and out of cars that are too low (such as sports cars) or too high (such as trucks and some SUVs).

Size
It ultimately comes down to personal preference and what type of driving you feel most comfortable with. Nonetheless, a car with a spacious interior but a small to midsize exterior tends to feel more relaxing while still maneuvering easily.

Cost
The ideal senior-friendly cars have a low starting cost and are fuel efficient, allowing better savings over time.

Safety
While safety is an important factor for any driver, it can be a bigger concern for older folks.

A backup camera.
Automatic emergency braking.
Blind spot warning.
Lane-departure warning.
Lane-keeping assist.
Rear cross-traffic alert.
Adaptive cruise control.
Driver attention warning.

Additionally, look for IIHS and NHTSA ratings to better understand the car’s overall safety.

Visibility
When driving, visibility is vital. To drive safely, the driver needs to be able to see from every angle – front, sides, and back. To enable better visibility, getting a car with big windows, higher seats, and a backup camera may help.

Warranty
Getting a car with a good warranty will improve your peace of mind and have your car taken care of with ease.

Best Kia cars for seniors
If you’re looking for cars that check all these boxes and offer a host of other features, you may be interested in Kia’s range of cars. Here are some senior-friendly options to choose from:

Kia Soul
The Kia Soul is one of the best compact cars for seniors, as it has good interior space, chair-like seats, quality safety gear, and optimal visibility while driving, thanks to its wide windows. Labeled perfect for the ‘young at heart,’ the car has chair-height seating, allowing easy boarding and alighting. It has comfortable interiors and a fuel efficiency of 24 MPG in the city and 31 MPG on the highway.

This small Kia car has a base MSRP of $19,890, making it a decent option even for seniors on a fixed income. What’s more is that Kia offers one of the best warranties in the market today, with a 10-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty program.

Kia Seltos
The Kia Seltos is another popular option for seniors. It features supportive seats, intuitive controls, a spacious interior and cargo space, and competitive fuel efficiency (25 MPG city and 30 MPG highway). It has a 4-star rating from the NHTSA and is equipped with a variety of safety features, such as standard automatic braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control and cyclist detection. The base price for this car begins at just $24,665, making it an affordable option as well.

Kia Stinger
The Kia Stinger offers energetic performance, easy handling, and intuitive features for seniors looking for a small yet luxurious car. The MSRP for the base model of the Stinger begins at $36,360, making it one of the more affordable luxury small cars. It has everything you require for a comfortable ride – a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with features such as a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, leather upholstery, heated front seats, and adaptive cruise control. The car also has a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA and Top Safety Pick+ recommendation from the IIHS. The car is equipped with standard safety features such as a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward automatic emergency braking, driver attention monitoring, adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, automatic high-beam headlights, and a vehicle exit warning. You can also opt for additional safety features such as front parking sensors, a surround-view parking camera system, a blind-spot camera, and a head-up display.

Kia Sorento
If you’re interested in an SUV that prioritizes safety and security, the Kia Sorento is for you. It has a low-feature step-in height, expansive windows, decent visibility, and intuitive and user-friendly controls. It can seat up to seven passengers. The car also has driver safety features such as driver drowsiness monitoring, automatic high beams, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and rear seat reminders. The Sorento has a fuel efficiency of up to 24 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The base price for the Kia Sorento (LX trim) begins at $30,090. The company offers a limited basic warranty for 5 years/60,000 miles and a limited Powertrain warranty for 5 years/100,000 miles.