Car news 30th Oct ’24: Kia Tasman makes global debut, Hyundai previews Ioniq 9 EV, and more

With pure-ICE variants dropped, the cheapest Sportage is now a pricier hybrid option. Is it an enticingly thrifty family choice?

It’s been a big 2025 for Kia and its Australian arm for new and revised metal, including (in chronological order) EV6 update, K4 sedan, EV4 (global Korean mid-size SUV facelift brings key changes but does it improve the popular front-drive hybrid enough?

As far as generational evolutions go, the transformation of the Kia Sportage from the 1990s to now has been a textbook rags-to-riches tale. From terrible Kia’s Australian best-seller gets a mid-life facelift to make it prettier and better to drive, with extra equipment and new Hybrid AWD variants

If you’re on the hunt for a hybrid midsize SUV and the first dealership you go to happens to be Toyota (because of the popularity of the RAV4 Hybrid), Kia’s added electrified punch to its Sportage Hybrid and we’re the lucky custodians of a GT-Line variant for a three-month long endurance test

The flagship Kia Sportage GT-Line is perhaps the best illustration of how very far Kia has come in the last quarter-century. Australians are queueing out Kia’s Sportage is in massive demand, especially in flagship GT-Line guise, but is its turbocharged petrol engine option the weak point in this otherwise superb medium SUV?

Kia has launched the all-new 2022 fifth-generation Kia Sportage, but is this midsize SUV good enough to defeat the Toyota RAV4?

Kia’s petrol-powered K4 hatch appears to be fighting a losing battle against the wave of sharply priced small Chinese EVs. But for the purists, there’s still plenty to like

It’s well known that dual-cab utes have become a popular lifestyle-vehicle choice for Australian families, regardless of whether there’s a tradie in the Living with the dual-cab ute that has the plaudits but not the popularity it deserves

If you’re pining for a 30-grand new car crammed with gadgets, best look away now – the facelifted 2026 Kia Stonic S base model is an engineering-led, Neatly sized, impressively packaged and with turbo performance bolstering admirable dynamic talent, the base Stonic proves there’s joy in simple pleasures.

Since its Australian debut in October 2024, the electric Kia EV5 has forged a respectable degree of popularity for itself. Riding on the back of Kia’s Among a plethora of impressive new mid-sized electric SUVs, how is Kia’s EV5 faring in terms of driving flair, interior quality, charging speed and value?

Following the demise of the rattly diesel Pregio in 2006, Kia has been out of the van game in Australia for 20 years. But the Korean brand is coming back Kia returns to van segment after over 20 years to produce oddball, yet enticing, electric effort.

When the first-generation Seltos launched in late 2019 it neatly filled a gap in Kia’s Australian line-up. Smaller than the Sportage and above Kia’s small Second-generation small SUV grows in size and goes all hybrid, though the all-new model doesn't fall far from the familiar Seltos tree.

Korean Tesla Model 3 challenger offers conventional EV credentials packed inside totally unconventional styling

Ageing yet impressive electric figurehead’s facelift improves the breed even if it mightn’t boost modest popularity

Non-SUV passenger car sales were down again in 2025, now accounting for barely more than one in ten vehicles sold in Australia. But where some importers The electric age has sparked a revival in popularity of sedans but challenging the Tesla Model 3 will be tough. Can Kia’s EV4 pull it off?

The EV3 is the latest entrant into Kia’s straightforwardly-named range of all-electric vehicles. Smaller than the EV5 and EV6 medium SUVs, it’s also the One of our favourite electric SUVs joins the fleet, but is Kia’s EV3 really the darling we thought on launch?

Thanks for joining us this Thursday, May 29th 2025. Notably in car news today: MG HS ‘Super Hybrid’ pricing and specs, Ssanyong name put to pasture in

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday, 25th March 2025. Notably in car news today: MG confirms ‘IM’ luxury brand to launch in Australia, Chrysler Hemi-V8

It was a record year for Australian new-car deliveries in 2024, if only just sneaking past 2023 by less than half a per cent with 1,220,607 units. The The 100 best-selling vehicles in Australia in 2024, from the Ford Ranger ute to the BYD Dolphin electric hatchback.

With Kia’s global product focus now heavily skewed towards electrification, the lifespans of its existing combustion-engined cars will be extended beyond All eyes are on Kia's new-generation of impressive electric vehicles but it still has big plans for its petrol and diesel line-up

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday March 12th 2024. Notably in car news today: Kia has launched its Sportage Hybrid, and Porsche pulls the covers off its Today in car news: Mercedes-AMG unveils its latest go-fast E-Class, Kia finally brings in a hybrid midsize SUV to Australia and more.

Sportage medium SUV takes a page from Toyota RAV4’s playbook, consolidating all petrol variants into an expanded petrol-hybrid range to sit alongside existing diesels

Kia Australia boss said retail buyers immediately selling on their desirable Kias is a “major issue at the moment” with no immediate solution.

A self-charging Kia Sportage is a possible rival for Toyota's RAV4 hybrid, but Kia Australia has to make a rock-solid business case first

Sportage (facelift) Vehicle type: Mid-size SUVLaunched: July The Kia Sportage has just launched its mid-life facelift, featuring revised styling inside Your guide to all the new Kia vehicles heading to Australian showrooms in 2025

Kia Australia has released pricing and specifications for its facelifted Sportage range for model year 2026. Key updates include revised styling inside

MG Motor Australia has upgraded the flagship Essence 62 version of its MGS5 EV SUV with more power, performance and range as rolling MY26 updates in

The tax man is coming for electric vehicle buyers. Despite a High Court ruling that barred the states from introducing a road user tax for electricThe honeymoon period for the car industry’s fully electric future could soon be coming to an end – and drivers are set to foot the bill

Kia Australia top brass admits Tasman sales crawl was not in the plan, the ute needing to be made ‘more acceptable’

Kia Australia will discontinue V6 petrol variants of its Sorento large SUV and Carnival people-mover for 2026. The change comes as a result of stricter Base model V6 petrol bows out of Australia

Kia Australia will almost certainly fall short of its self-imposed Tasman ute sales target of 20,000 deliveries in its first 12 months on sale, with a Fleet sales still aren’t on the boil for Tasman ute, with brand also chalking up slower than expected Tasman sales to severe competition in the segment

Thanks for joining us this Tuesday July 16th 2024. Notably in car news today: Kia’s Tasman ute stress-tested for Australian conditions, and Mini is In car news: Kia’s Tasman ute stress-tested for Australian conditions, and Mini is unlikely to build any larger models than the Countryman in the future.