“I can hit lottery tomorrow. I will still buy a Kia.”
A KIA sales manager says she’s seeing a surprising trend at her dealership. She says she’s noticed that her high-net-worth customers are buying for value, not flash.
“We are located in Short Pump, which is near one of the wealthiest counties in the state of Virginia, which is Goochland County,” explains The Real Siren (@cateyez_reesh). There, she says that most of her customers are doctors, lawyers, and business owners, many of whom earn upwards of $500,000 per year.
To put it in perspective, she says, “Our average down payment is $20,000 to $30,000,” with an accompanying credit score in the 800s.
“These people buy the KIA,” she asserts. It’s a position contrary to popular belief, she notes. The sales manager then emphasizes her observation, “People would think that the lower-income population would be buying KIA, but no, it’s the rich.”
Then she pauses for a moment to underscore her point.
A spokesperson for KIA confirmed The Real Siren’s assertion: “Kia’s sales mix of buyers with incomes above $200k per year more than doubled in the past 5 years and now has one of the strongest ‘$200K+ buyer’ profile ratios among major segment competitors,” wrote James Bell in an email.
KIAs are not luxury vehicles, though the brand does have a wide lineup, enough to satisfy those who want a larger vehicle with more comfort. Currently, the most expensive vehicles available from the manufacturer are the 2027 Telluride X-Pro SX Prestige and the 2026 EV9 Light Long Range RWD.
Fully loaded versions of the two range from the Telluride’s $61,959 price tag to the EV9’s $81,580 estimate. Both prices are sourced from KIA’s website. While those numbers aren’t bargains per se, they’re a fraction of the $159,600 that the 2027 BMW XM rolls out the door for. For comparison, the average price of a new vehicle in America is $49,855.
It is worth noting that the driving experience is very different: the Telluride has a four-cylinder engine, while the BMW has a V-8 engine with hybrid capability. But for a daily driver in congested Virginia, the KIA might be a smart financial decision.
When asked about gasoline engines with six or eight cylinders, Bell said, “Efficient ICE, HEV, PHEV and EV choices all support our growing commitment to becoming a sustainable mobility provider.” A bit of a sidestep, but for car buyers thinking about a purchase, it’s perhaps worth paying attention to.
The comments section is full of conflicting opinions, but the KIA loyalists make a convincing case for their car. Their loyalty is a tacit argument too.
“I can hit lottery tomorrow. I will still buy a Kia. I have own[ed] 3. My son is driving my first one. You all better learn. Every car factory use the same suppliers. Only thing changed is the name. I have worked in manufacturing over 28 years. You all just buying a name. We all basically have same car just a different name. Kia have better warranty then all the others,” says Monica Hodge (@monica.hodge3).
While La Tanya Nixon-Moore (@tannama77), who says she works in a wealthy area, notes, “This is true. I work at a private school where the parents are the doctors, lawyers, celebrities. I was shocked to see so many Kia’s pull up in the pick up line. I’m in Brentwood, CA.”
And Chassy Stubbie (@chassystebbie) asserts, “Every surgeon at my center had older Hondas, Toyotas, and pick up trucks.”
Perhaps those in upper-income brackets are buying more modest vehicles because cars are a depreciating asset. Plus, there’s the reality that luxury vehicles don’t actually last longer or retain value any better. Indeed, sometimes luxury vehicles do not retain their resale value as well because of expensive maintenance and repairs.
There’s also the matter of discretion when it comes to less expensive vehicles: a driver can blend in and be anonymous. In the automotive market for 2026, the KIA Sportage makes the Cars.com list for best compact SUV. Other notable cars are the Ford F-150 and Toyota Corolla Hybrid.
All three of those vehicles offer varied trim levels. So, even with a modest exterior, the interior and the driving experience, especially on the Ford F-150 Raptor with the 5.2L supercharged V-8 engine, can be fun.
As Car and Driver wrote in its review of the Raptor, it makes blasting over sand dunes look easy, but it also “coasts down the Interstate with a smoothness that contradicts its rowdy character.”
So, not a luxury vehicle, but also not, not a fun car to drive. That seems to be the balance that carmakers are trying to strike: vehicles that are customizable to the individual experience. Seemingly because everyone likes a little personalization, especially in something you’re likely to spend at least eight hours a week in.
Motor1 reached out to The Real Siren via TikTok direct message and with a comment on the post. We will update this article if she replies.
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