Tag: Kia

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KIA EV6 GT AWD DUAL MOTOR

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Kia’s EV6 GT is World Performance Car of the Year, who can argue with that? To be eligible a car must be produced in volumes of at least 1000 units/year, must be overtly performance-focused in overall character and must be “on-sale” in at least two major markets during the qualifying period. And with two electric motors and a seriously impressive 430kW of power and 740Nm of torque, not to mention a 0-100-km/h time of just 3.5 seconds, EV6 GT certainly meets the requirements. STYLING The GT sits 5mm lower, with… Read more

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KIA STONIC IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED

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Based on the same platform as the Rio hatch, Stonic is the smallest of Kia’s SUVs. Designed by the maestro Peter Schreyer, the name is a combination of the words “stylish” and “iconic”. In Australia Stonic is available with 1.4-litre four cylinder or turbocharged 1.0-litre three- cylinder petrol engines, the latter confined to the top of the range GT-Line. Top seller in this section of the market is the Mazda CX-3, followed by the Toyota Yaris Cross, with the Hyundai venue in third place. Nipping at their heels is the… Read more

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KIA SUV HYBRID LEFT HIGH AND DRY

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Long Covid? Try long Kia. The South Korea automobile maker is suffering lingering post-pandemic ‘sickness’ with its Sorento Hybrid SUV being held up by supply issues and the maker offering the vehicle in top-spec GT-Line only. The same goes for the Plug-in Hybrid. The Sorento sports utility vehicle has been a major part of the Kia catalogue for two decades, with the fourth generation seeing the light of day in 2020 in petrol and diesel variants. Now the range is topped off with petrol / electric hybrids boasting room for… Read more

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FIRST PICS OF NEW KIA EV9

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Hot on the heels of our recent preview of Kia’s upcoming new EV9 electric vehicle, the company has released images the seven-seat SUV. Kia says EV9 represents a “pivotal step forward” in the company’s journey towards becoming a sustainable mobility solutions provider. It’s the second EV to come from the South Korean car maker after the EV6. No word on powertrain, battery size or range as yet, but these details will be revealed later this month. Designers have fused sleek, sculptural shapes and assured, assertive geometry to deliver a strikingly… Read more

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KIA SELTOS SPORT+

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Seltos is the second smallest model in Kia’s SUV range, sitting above the compact Stonic and below the Sportage. It competes against vehicles such as the MG ZS, Hyundai Kona, Mazda CX-30 and Mitsubishi ASX. Originally launched here in late 2019 Seltos received a major upgrade in November 2022 with exterior and interior changes, safety improvements, new tech features, plus extra power and a new transmission for the top-spec model. The changes do come at a price with increases of at least $2200 across the range, although they can probably… Read more

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SPORTAGE LEADING THE KIA SALES BOOM

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2022 was a bumper year for Kia. With total sales of 78,330 the Korean manufacturer finished third in the overall sales race behind Toyota and Mazda, the company’s first-ever podium finish. Along the way Kia also won family bragging rights by outselling sibling Hyundai for the first time. Star performer for Kia in 2022 was the fifth-generation Sportage which arrived at the start of the year and accounted for almost a quarter of the brand’s total sales. As with the previous model Sportage comes in four variants, S, SX, SX+… Read more

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KIA PICANTO GT

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Kia’s baby Picanto hatch was last upgraded in June, 2020. It saw a refreshed, more distinctive appearance and greater differentiation for higher grade models. The so-called ‘tiger-nose’ grille remains sleek and sporty but with a sharper and more assertive appearance. Below the grille is a restyled lower air intake, magnifying the aggressive look of the front end while the rear boasts a new bumper design with dual exhaust tips and a wider, more aggressive posture. New design 16-inch alloy wheels were also added. STYLING Picanto GT can be identified by… Read more

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KIA EV6 AWD GT-LINE (DUAL MOTOR)

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Back in the ’60s Gerry Anderson created the puppet phenomena Thunderbirds. The puppets or marionettes later grew into real life actors in shows like UFO and Space: 1999, complete with space-age clothing, architecture and futuristic cars that made a buzzing, turbine-like sound. I suspect many car designers have spent too much time watching sci-fi shows because most seem to think EVs should come in a futuristic package, with form taking precedence over functionality. Kia’s first dedicated, fully electric vehicle, EV6, is an example. It looks and feels more like a… Read more

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KIA UPGRADES ITS SELTOS COMPACT SUV

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Kia has given its Seltos SUV an update with enhancements to its styling, tech equipment and powertrain. 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 strongly against vehicles such as the MG ZS, Mitsubishi ASX and Hyundai Kona in the crowded small SUV market segment. As before the new Kia Seltos comes with the choice of four variants: S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line. Likewise, there are… Read more

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KIA SORENTO HEV AWD GT-LINE

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Sorento is the largest of Kia’s SUVs and the only large, mainstream SUV to offer three different drivetrains — petrol, diesel and petrol-electric hybrid (as well as plug-in hybrid). Now in its fourth generation, it comes in four grades, but if you want a hybrid — and who doesn’t these days — the choice is GT-Line or GT-Line. You can however save yourself a bit of money by getting the front-drive version, instead of all-wheel drive. Design elements from other models include a new ‘shark fin’ element on its rear… Read more