The cost of a car depends on several factors, including the variant, the features, the quality of how the car is made, and the brand. These elements are just some reasons that allow the brand to set lower or higher prices compared to other automotive brands. Some buyers look at what the car can give them and don’t mind the cost, but other buyers look at the expense of the vehicle first. If you only have a small budget, you must do lots of research before purchasing a car.
So, look at one of the cheapest car manufacturers on the market now – Kia Motors. Kia vehicles are manufactured in South Korea, and when it comes to the cost of these cars, one question often arises – “why are Kia cars so cheap?”
And we’ll talk about the five reasons why Kia vehicles are so cheap.
The Vehicle Body Is Made Of Plastic
The vehicle body of a car is the one that protects the passengers in case of an accident. By right, it should be sturdy. It also shapes the passenger compartment, covers the automotive parts and systems, and provides luggage space. Therefore, vehicle bodies are usually made of solid materials like steel and aluminum.
The former is cheaper, but the latter is lighter and rust-proof; that’s why luxury cars often use aluminum. However, in the case of Kia cars, they use plastic as the raw material for their vehicle bodies. Plastic is cheaper than steel, which allows them to lower their prices in creating Kia vehicles compared to other cars. So, might this be one of the reasons why Kia cars are so cheap?
Incompetent Production Line, Resulting In Low-Cost Labor
In every business, there is a capital cost for every product. And so, with the Kia brand, the quality is also cheap due to their low-cost labor, resulting in lower prices. Incompetency is such a big issue when it comes to production, especially concerning car production, and this could be one of the main reasons why Kia can keep its prices so low.
Most people drive their own cars every day, and if the proper quality is not observed, problems can occur. If standards are hard to implement in a production line, there is no doubt this will show in the final product; this might be through minor flaws in the severe or exterior faults of the engine. Unsurprisingly, specific quality issues may affect the consumer and, for sure, the car maker’s sales and reliability.
Five To Seven Years And That’s It
Considering substandard raw materials and low-cost production, it’s no wonder why Kia cars can only run reliably for only about 5-7 years. When driven regularly, the car goes through a lot of wear and tear, meaning repairs might become more common. Also, when used for more than five years, even decently kept and maintained Kia cars will have no resale value after they have.
How much more does it depreciate if the quality is poor? If a Kia car is manufactured cheaply (and, therefore, poorly), will the value depreciate more than another car? Well, as with any car, the value depreciates a lot more as the years pass by. If you are aiming to save up in the long run by having a car that lasts for more than seven years, then think a lot of times about which car you should buy; research more, and don’t just take a look at the price tag. In this case, a car that is high quality is likely to last you longer.
Cheaper Prices For Features And Not For Reliability
Every car has built-in features consumers want for their cars, such as heated steering wheels and Bluetooth compatibility, but safety features go hand-in-hand with reliability. Hence, these are what’s most important for a reliable vehicle. From the engine, parts, and the vehicle body, considering safety is vital in choosing what car to buy and will ensure your car is road safe and can protect you and any passengers.
Manufacturers in the automotive industry have different ways of approaching safety features and reliability. Still, Kia cars might be a lot more focused on providing features rather than focusing on the safety part of the vehicle. Yes, there are standards when it comes to automotive. If these standards are not correctly observed, then recalls will be called later.
Issues with recalls should be avoided as this means there is a fault causing a compromise to the passenger’s safety. However, if the right processes are being observed in the manufacturing stage firsthand, then recalls would seldom be in the later part. This also points us to the question, “why are Kia motors so expensive to insure?” This may relate to the quality and the recalls it has had for several years, hence, another reason they are inexpensive.
Poor Gas Mileage – Inefficient Fuel Consumption
Having efficient fuel consumption is a necessity for many car owners, especially as the price of gas increases. Fuel cost is one of the things that has drivers digging deep into their pockets, even more so when they travel long distances regularly. So, thinking of a car’s average mileage is vital; who doesn’t want to save in the long run, right?
But if you have a Kia car, you might have to visit the fuel station more often. Kia cars have less gas mileage on average, so they consume more fuel than other cars. As mentioned above, the Kia car manufacturer has been known to produce poor-quality parts, including fuel management.
You may spend less when buying the car; however, this won’t last long. With the issue of fuel, you need to think over and over again about quality. It would be best to decide whether you will settle for an inexpensive vehicle with low quality, which may cause problems and high maintenance costs in the future. Or do you want to do a close search for a reliable and quality car, even if it has an added cost?
Conclusion
There you have it. We’ve discussed the five possible reasons to answer the question, “why are Kia cars so cheap?”
But are Kia vehicles still good cars? Every car has strengths and weaknesses; the car owner also has a part in how long a car can last. Buying a specific car that will suit your lifestyle best requires a lot of thought and research. It isn’t a decision you will be able to make quickly.
However, choosing a car still depends on the criteria you want the car to meet. If you have a tight budget and can afford car repairs down the line, then that’s fine; buying a car from one of the Kia dealerships might be a good option for you. But if you have a readily available budget, high-quality vehicles are a great choice.
