Category: Kia

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KIA SELTOS SPORT

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Seltos is one of four SUVs in the Kia range, smaller than the Sorento and Sportage but larger than the Stonic. It has been on sale here since late 2019 and competes against vehicles such as the MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX and Hyundai Kona in the crowded small SUV market segment. Seltos received a major upgrade for 2023 with exterior and interior changes, safety improvements, new tech features, plus extra power and a new transmission for the top-spec model. The changes did come at a price with increases of at… Read more

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KIA STONIC GT-LINE BLENDS STYLE WITH SUBSTANCE

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Kia Stonic is the smallest of the Korean carmaker’s four conventional SUV range sitting below the Seltos, Sportage and Sorento. There are also three fully electric SUVs: EV5, EV6 and EV9. Stonic was released in 2017 and arrived in Australia in 2020. It was upgraded in May 2024 with a more powerful three-cylinder turbo engine, added safety and tech features and a price hike. Stonic is built on the same platform as the now discontinued Rio hatchback. It competes against vehicles such as its Hyundai Venue sibling as well as… Read more

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PICANTO PUTS IN ITS FULL PENN’ORTH

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Car maker Kia has a foot in two widely opposing camps: on the one hand it produces the World Car of the Year, the luxe EV9 electric vehicle, on the other the bargain basement Picanto petrol powered compact. The former sells for a top shelf six-figure sum, the latter, recently the subject of an upgrade, hardly tips the scales at around twenty grand. How does it stack up? The modern, sporty design is highlighted by a new headlamp set-up, ‘ripped’ radiator grille and reshaped front bumper. Out back, the tail… Read more

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WINNING WAYS WITH SORENTO ENHANCEMENT

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Some sports utility vehicles are just big, others are bold. The 2024 Sorento PE, for Product Enhancement, taking a lead from the EV9 World Car of the Year, veers to the latter, cementing its place in Kia’s modern pantheon. The MY24 stays true to the outgoing model relying on the existing range of four powertrains. The 3.5-litre petrol front-wheel drive and 2.2-litre diesel all-wheel drive variants are available across four trim levels – S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line – with the last, home for the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid. The… Read more

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POWER SURGE PUTS SPORTAGE IN SPOTLIGHT

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With hybrid buyers lighting up the EV market, great things are expected of the recent addition to the Sportage SUV range. Driven by the surge in hybrid sales, the Toyota RAV4 has overtaken the Ranger and HiLux to become the best-selling vehicle in Australia. So, it’s not before time that Kia has introduced a hybrid variant to its popular Sportage medium SUV range, which the company confidently anticipates, at 300 units per month, will contribute 20 per cent to total Sportage sales. “The Sportage range was already an excellent medium… Read more

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WINNING KIA EV A QUIET ACHIEVER

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Quiet (tick), achiever (tick) – quiet achiever: with little more than the hum of the motors, the EV9 carried off a couple of the most prestigious prizes of 2024 – World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle. A jury of 100 distinguished automotive journalists representing 29 countries, shouted out the innovative design, spacious seven-seat interior and competitive pricing of Kia’s first triple-row, all electric flagship SUV as being world beating. Now Australia has the opportunity to find out, with the recent arrival of three variants, named with a… Read more

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THE CARNIVAL IS FAR FROM OVER

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The Carnival continues to be a popular attraction, despite people movers making way for SUVs. Like Toyota did with Tarago’s radical rebirth as the ‘egg’ in the 1990s, Kia has rewritten the people mover rules to produce a GUV (Grand Utility Vehicle). The Carnival is quite unlike any car we’ve crafted before, says the South Korean carmaker. Fusing SUV-inspired design with a unique attitude, the Carnival uses progressive styling that boasts an aesthetic like no other. Featuring a luxurious interior for eight, lavishly equipped with next-generation Kia technology, the Carnival… Read more

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EV3 WILL BE KIA’S SMALLEST ELECTRIC VEHICLE

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Kia has released teaser images of its upcoming EV3, the brand’s new compact EV SUV. Around the same size as the Seltos SUV, the EV3 will be the 4th and smallest member of Kia’s EV range. Although complete images have yet to be released the EV3 is expected to be very similar to the EV3 Concept shown here at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show. Expected to sell from around $50k EV3 will take on existing compact SUVs such as the Kia Kona EV, BYD Atto3, GWM Ora and MG… Read more

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KIA CERATO IS WELL-EQUIPPED AND KEENLY PRICED

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Launched here in 2004, the small Cerato hatch or sedan has been one of Kia’s biggest sellers, often sharing the Australian sales podium alongside Toyota Corolla, Hyundai i30 and Mazda3. The current, fourth generation, Cerato has been on sale here since 2018 with an upgrade in 2021 adding new tech features as well as the fresh new Kia logo. The next generation Cerato is due early in 2025 but it will be given a name change, adopting the global name of K4. Let’s hope that Kia doesn’t face the same… Read more

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KIA PICANTO GT-LINE ROAD TEST

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While the battle rages for the high ground of the top tech, and expensive, electrified territory of the automotive world, a rear-guard action from the internal combustion engine bargain basement is taking place. Micro cars such as the MG 3, Suzuki Ignis, Fiat 500 and Mazda 2 are leading the charge to defend ICE(land). The latest call to arms comes from Kia with its upgraded Picanto. What are its chances? Sadly, gone ta-taas is the popular GT, replaced by a pair of GT-Line legionnaires. Kia says it has called on… Read more