WINNING WAYS WITH SORENTO ENHANCEMENT

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

POWER SURGE PUTS SPORTAGE IN SPOTLIGHT

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

WINNING KIA EV A QUIET ACHIEVER

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

THE CARNIVAL IS FAR FROM OVER

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

EV3 WILL BE KIA’S SMALLEST ELECTRIC VEHICLE

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

KIA CERATO IS WELL-EQUIPPED AND KEENLY PRICED

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

KIA PICANTO GT-LINE ROAD TEST

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

KIA EV9 GT-LINE AWD

Sounds too good to be true, but it is. EV9 is Kia’s latest and greatest wunderkind, an EV that seats seven and can travel more than 500km on a single charge. In the early days of the modern electric era, it was suggested that families would have two cars: a compact battery-electric vehicle for city use and larger, hybrid SUV for inter-urban travel. A decade later they’ve had a rethink and EVs of different shapes and sizes are becoming an increasingly common sight on our motorways, but we’ve still got… Read more

NEW KIA SORENTO

Kia Australia has announced details of the MY2024 Sorento large SUV with refreshed the exterior and interior design, upgraded comfort and convenience technology, and additional safety features. As before there is a large range of options including petrol and diesel engines, with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, front and all-wheel drive, and four equipment levels. The petrol and diesel variants will be launched later this month in this initial Sorento upgrade release. HEV and PHEV variants will be arriving later in the first half of 2024, with specification details and pricing announced… Read more