Tag: GT-Line

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EV3 . . . NICE, BUT THE PRICE?

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  EV3 is the smallest of Kia’s electric SUVs, sitting behind the EV5 and EV9. They persist in calling the EV6 an SUV too, but it’s not. It’s really more of an over-sized hatch. By virtue of its size EV3 is also the cheapest too, if you can call $50,000 cheap by the time you put it on the road. This could be problematic for the Korean car maker, when cheaper, similarly-sized E-SUVs are fronting up every other week. Some of them are pretty impressive. STYLING EV3 replaces the Kia Niro. There… Read more

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LATE-COMER SPORTAGE HEV CATCHES UP WITH CURRENT TREND

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There is no question that the Sportage Hybrid came late (almost three years to be precise) to the table of electric power for Kia’s popular mid-size SUV. A shortage of cars only compounded the matter. Now, says Kia, things are on the move, with the petrol/hybrid expected to sell 300 a month, 20 per cent of total sales Down Under, and another step in the company’s progress of increasing electrified options to the Australian market. The Sportage HEV is available in two trims – SX front-wheel drive automatic and GT-Line… Read more

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KIA EV6 GT-LINE AWD

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It’s been more than 18 months since we first drove the Kia EV6. Not much has changed since then, although it will soon get some updates – namely a larger battery. The new model lobbed at the Australian Open earlier this year, of which Kia is the major sponsor and its arrival is imminent. In the meantime, we couldn’t turn down the chance of another drive of what is surely one of Australia’s pre-eminent EVs — although describing it as a crossover is a stretch. STYLING Prices start from $72,590… Read more

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KIA EV3 AIR: FROM LITTLE THINGS . . .

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With the latest edition, the EV3, hitting the market Down Under, Kia electrics make up almost as many numbers as a Keno card. But is there a winner? Having just sampled the entry-level EV3, and with EV5, 6 and 9, on the dance card down the line, it’s anybody’s guess. The all-electric small SUV has a lot going for it – sub-$50k price, comfortable cabin, fuel economy and seven-year warranty – designed from the ground up to be a no-compromise EV. The EV3 sets its sustainable stall out with triple… Read more

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KIA SORENTO PHEV GT-LINE

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It’s becoming harder to tell internal combustion from electric vehicles, and even more difficult to identify the in-betweeners — the hybrids and plug-in hybrids that combine technologies. The new Product Enhanced Sorento takes its styling cues from the fully-electric EV9 and sees changes to the exterior and interior design, comfort and convenience technology, with additional safety features thrown in. New Sorento offers a range of drivetrains including hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, both of which arrive in top-spec GT-Line guise only, adding to the price of the technology — or… Read more

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KIA K4 SPORT+ SEDAN

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The futuristic-looking K4 is a replacement for the Kia Cerato. But, for the time being at least, both are offered for sale by the South Korean car manufacturer. At this stage we get the sedan but not the hatch which will probably turn up later in the year. Kia says the change of name brings the K4 into line with the rest of the world, where it has already adopted the same naming strategy: K3 (Kia Rio), K5 (Optima) and K8 (Cadenza) and K9 (K900). Only the tiny Picanto remains…. Read more

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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