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How Much Horsepower Is Good And Fast In A Car?

Horsepower in a car is often one of the first specifications we look at. Generally, more power equals more speed, which can add to the fun of the driving experience. However, horsepower isn't the only factor that determines a model's speed – it's a complex recipe of ingredients, including horsepower, that determines how quick a vehicle is. For instance, fuel efficiency, aerodynamic drag, pound-feet of torque, and weight-based considerations also play a significant role. Keep reading to dive into the world of horsepower and how it reflects on the powerful new lineup you can find at Gunther Kia.

What Is Horsepower?

The concept of horsepower stretches back to the 18th century. Horsepower as a measurement came about as a way to display the capabilities of newly created steam engines compared to the era's main engine: the horse. At its simplest, horsepower is a way to measure how quickly mechanical work is performed.

Let's go deeper – the measurement referenced one horse lifting a 550-pound weight one foot into the air in one second (via a pulley system) – that's one horsepower by the books. Of course, horses vary in strength, and certain horses can even produce a few horsepower. However, this standard set the pace, and we still use it today.

Now that we know what horsepower is, what does it do?

An engine needs to move your car's weight over sustained periods, so when you hear of horsepower, think of it as your engine's ability to move that weight continuously. Keep in mind that aerodynamic drag adds to that weight, meaning your engine needs to work harder at higher speeds – horsepower in a car must be optimized to overcome this increased force.

How Much Horsepower Do You Need?

If your driving is limited to crowded city streets, you don't need much horsepower. However, most of us need to be able to hit highway speeds. The average car's horsepower is optimized to go that fast at a minimum. However, before we explore what makes for good horsepower output, we have to consider efficiency.

A smaller engine will typically require less fuel, and if you can squeeze more power out of it, you get a more eco-friendly way to enjoy the show-horse stable under your hood. A larger engine, however, will lay its power down more consistently, giving you a faster off-the-line response and smoother up-to-speed action – fuel efficiency may be sacrificed, though.

Therefore, consider the engine layout and size when contemplating a vehicle's horsepower. You should also factor in the vehicle's power-to-weight ratio, as it determines how much weight each horsepower has to move.

The average midsize SUV weighs between 3,500 and 6,000 pounds, according to J.D. Power¹ – as an example, 147 horsepower in an SUV that weighs 4,800 pounds is not good for speed or efficiency. The new Kia Carnival MPV falls in this weight range, with a maximum curb weight of 4,824 pounds, and it produces 287 horsepower. However, 147 horsepower in the subcompact 2025 Kia Soul LX, with its 2,888-pound curb weight, excellently balances acceleration and fuel efficiency.

Is 98 horsepower good?	We wouldn't recommend taking cars with under 100 horsepower on the highway, but it'll be good enough for city-limited subcompact cars.
Is 130 horsepower good?	This power level is great for subcompact models; a compact car with 130 horsepower will provide good highway capabilities.
Is 140 horsepower good?	The extra 10 horsepower can make a significant difference. Most compact cars with 140 horsepower are good for city efficiency and highway speeds.
Is 147 horsepower good?	147 horsepower is a great, highly versatile output for compact or subcompact cars and a good level for crossover SUVs.
Is 250 horsepower good?	For cars or crossover SUVs, 250 horsepower is more than good; it's a great output that can walk the fine line between high performance and high MPG.

How Much Horsepower Is Fast?

Everyone has a different definition of "fast." The new Kia K5 is considered quick by most drivers but will feel genuinely supersonic if you've only driven older, heavier vehicles like a 1980s truck. "Old" and "heavy" are two critical factors behind speed.

Consider for a moment the swan-song of America's muscle-car Golden Age: the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda powered by a 426 cubic-inch V-8 engine. It made a whopping 425 horsepower and launched from zero to 60 mph in around 5.8 seconds. ²

The 2025 Kia K5 GT sedan tops out at "only" 290 horsepower, which is well above the average car horsepower for 2025 but far below those V-8 beasts – yet the K5 can sprint from zero to 60 mph in as little as 5.4 seconds, which is 0.4 seconds quicker than the Plymouth Barracuda we mentioned, thanks to its lighter curb weight.

The Barracuda in question is a heavier, much less aerodynamically efficient vehicle, using older component designs with far less mechanical efficiency than the cutting-edge engineering of a K5. So, it's an incomplete question when someone asks, "What is good horsepower for going fast?" They should ask, "What is a good car for going fast?"

More horsepower in a car will make it faster, but the rest of the vehicle is responsible for taking that speed to the extreme.

Is 98 horsepower good?	We wouldn't recommend taking cars with under 100 horsepower on the highway, but it'll be good enough for city-limited subcompact cars.
Is 130 horsepower good?	This power level is great for subcompact models; a compact car with 130 horsepower will provide good highway capabilities.
Is 140 horsepower good?	The extra 10 horsepower can make a significant difference. Most compact cars with 140 horsepower are good for city efficiency and highway speeds.
Is 147 horsepower good?	147 horsepower is a great, highly versatile output for compact or subcompact cars and a good level for crossover SUVs.
Is 250 horsepower good?	For cars or crossover SUVs, 250 horsepower is more than good; it's a great output that can walk the fine line between high performance and high MPG.
Is 150–200 horsepower fast?	This is a good balance of efficiency and speed for both smaller crossover SUVs and compact cars.
Is 220 horsepower fast?	220 horsepower in a car is enough of a boost to enter "fast" territory without diminishing MPGs.
Is 275 horsepower fast?	275 horsepower is where thrills begin, and speed starts to take priority over efficiency.
Is 350 horsepower fast?	350 horsepower in a car is rarely not considered fast; the thrills reach roller-coaster levels here.
Is 370 horsepower fast?	370 horsepower can unlock seat-pinning 0-60 mph times and track-ready performance that only sports cars can touch.

Hybrid & Electric Horsepower

As automotive technology advances, more and more vehicles are adopting hybrid and all-electric powertrains to boost fuel economy and performance. A hybrid setup blends the power of an internal combustion engine with the strength generated by a supporting electric motor to produce a combined system horsepower.

While the combined output is usually most important, sometimes it's beneficial to know individual outputs as well. Many plug-in-hybrid vehicles, like the 2025 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid, can rely solely on their electric motor with sufficient charge. However, with only 91 electric motor horsepower, you wouldn't want to use this for much beyond short-distance, low-intensity drives.

Horsepower is no different for all-electric models – it just comes from electric motors rather than gasoline. The same principles apply: the 2025 Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD can crank out up to 379 horsepower, depending on the model, which is great, considering every trim has a significant curb weight of over 5,000 pounds.

Torque vs. Horsepower: What's The Difference?

Torque vs. horsepower is like weightlifting vs. running. Torque comes in as a measurement of how much force is applied during that work.

You can think of torque and horsepower like this: more torque will achieve a lower 0-60 mph time, and more horsepower will achieve a higher top speed.

To be precise, horsepower in a car moves the weight along, and torque is how forcefully said weight is moved. Torque matters when you're at a standstill, as a lot of force is needed to get your car moving. However, horsepower matters more once you're traveling at speed, as your car already has built-up momentum and needs continued application of force.

It's also why horsepower in a truck often matters less than torque, as heavyweight hauling jobs come first.

The takeaway, at a glance, is that torque and horsepower must be balanced, and you need both to have a good time behind the wheel. For example, the new Kia Telluride puts out 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The former helps this SUV with a maximum curb weight of 4,524 pounds maintain highway speed, while the latter gets you moving when you're taking advantage of its 5,500-pound maximum towing capacity.

Kia Horsepower

We've discussed the ins and outs of horsepower in a car, so now let's look at horsepower specs across the Kia vehicle stable:

Kia SUVs & Minivans

2025 Kia Soul: 147 horsepower
2025 Kia Seltos: 146-195 horsepower
2025 Kia Sportage: 187 horsepower
2025 Kia Sorento: 191-281 horsepower
2025 Kia Carnival: 287 horsepower
2025 Kia Telluride: 291 horsepower

Kia Sedans

2025 Kia K4: 147-190 horsepower
2025 Kia K5: 191-290 horsepower

Kia Hybrid & Electric Vehicles

2025 Kia Niro Hybrid: 139 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid: 180 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Niro EV: 201 horsepower
2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid: 227 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid: 227 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid: 242 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid: 261 combined horsepower
2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid:261 combined horsepower
2025 Kia EV9: 201-379 horsepower
2025 Kia EV6: 167-576 horsepower

Thanks for checking out this deep dive into the mystery of horsepower. Swing by Gunther Kia today to experience what well-optimized horsepower in a car can feel like.

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¹Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this rating, visit https://www.jdpower.com/cars/

²Reference to this third-party review/claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For more details, please visit https://www.motortrend.com/vehicle-genres/c12-