Kia Ceres Reviews

Australia could welcome not one but two new electrified dual-cab ute options in 2028, with Hyundai's first proper ute seemingly firming to join a hybrid Kia Tasman 2.0 in Australia.  Both Korean brands have remained relatively tight-lipped on their ute ambitions, but Hyundai has confirmed that sharing its dual-cab with Kia is back on the table, after it was largely ruled out last year. Then, the brand looked likely to share development of an all-new dual-cab with Hyundai in America — a product that would also likely be built there to dodge tariffs. But the brand acknowledges business case challenges, and has already opted to not import products from Europe owing to large shipping costs and unfavourable exchange rates. Whatever the reason, the brand is now more open to sharing with Kia. "If we wanted to bring the speed to market, there's probably only one other option," said Hyundai Australia COO, Gavin Donaldson, before joking about shipping costs from "Tasmania". "We've kept two options open because we think both could technically work," he said. "While we can't confirm, we would probably say if they're looking at something in the States we'd still consider that one because that's definitely on the drawing board. And then the other ones." The timing is perfect, because this week a leaked document confirmed work would begin on a new Kia Tasman in 2028. The documents come from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee – the body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents claim the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. That update is tipped to review all aspects of the Tasman, from its design to its powertrain, and even potentially introduce hybrid-petrol power for the first time. In fact, parts of the new update are already being evaluated in Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold recently told CarsGuide.  "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things." A hybrid powertrain would make a brand-share arrangement even more appealing to Hyundai, with executives repeatedly stating that electrification was a non-negotiable. That stance has softened slightly, with the brand now favouring speed to market, but a hybrid powertrain remains a key focus. "We'll never say never to a new powertrain at the end of the day because if something means it can come a lot quicker with a different powertrain, then we would say yes. But for us, we think a hybrid powertrain is what we're going to do," Mr Donaldson says. 

The all-new Seltos is a big deal for Kia, with this all-hybrid small SUV expected to be the brand's second-best seller in Australia. That's what they think, but what really matters is what you - the buyer - thinks. So should you choose this over a Toyota Corolla Cross or any of the other army of small SUVs on sale in Australia? We put the new Seltos to the test to find out.

Kia’s big plans have just been exposed.  Korean Car Blog has just revealed key details about Kia’s upcoming product line-up, with some of these models expected to land Down Under before 2030.  The leaked roadmap shows an all-new Kia EV7 electric mid-size SUV as well as a next-generation Sorento large SUV and Carnival people mover, among other models.  These models are all anticipated to hit showrooms globally from 2028 to 2029.  The document is from the Kia Employment Stability Committee, which is a body that negotiates and approves production investments and factory volumes.  The document shows Kia will begin production of an electric mid-size SUV called the EV7.  Details are scarce, but logically, it would sit between the EV6 and EV9 SUVs.  This could put it into competition with the very popular BYD Sealion 7 ($54,990) and the luxury-pitched BMW iX3 ($89,900), both before on-road costs.  The EV7 is likely to have a similar footprint to the Kia Sorento, meaning it could even be a three-row SUV.  We don't know whether the EV7 is related to the Hyundai Ioniq 7 that is rumoured to arrive in the United Kingdom in 2027. Production on the EV7 could begin as early as 2028.  Kia is also planning to overhaul its Carnival people mover. Leaked documents confirmed a “completely redesigned” Carnival hybrid is on the way and will launch in 2028.  The Carnival is the runaway sales leader of the people mover segment in Australia, available in diesel- and conventional-hybrid-powered set-ups.  It comfortably outsells the Hyundai Staria as well as the BYD M9 and Denza D9.  The first hybrid Carnival launched in mid-2024 as an electrified alternative to the diesel-powered variant.  Kia isn’t just stopping at a new-generation Carnival, with the Korean brand also rumoured to be pursuing a hydrogen fuel cell variant by 2029.  This would be Kia’s first hydrogen-powered production model, and it’s likely to lean on fuel cell technology from sister brand Hyundai.  It’s unclear whether the local branch would consider bringing a hydrogen Carnival to Australia, given the lack of usable infrastructure.  Plans show Kia is working on a new hybrid Sorento that will begin production in 2028.  The Sorento remains an important model for Kia in Australia, sitting below the brand’s best seller the Sportage.  It currently has a very broad set of variants in Australia, featuring petrol, diesel, conventional hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices.  It’s possible Kia will go hybrid-only Down Under as it has done with the Seltos, and is expected to do with the larger Sportage when it arrives in 2027.  Kia is preparing to give the Tasman ute a major makeover. Production will begin in 2028 and will spawn derivatives, including a ladder-frame SUV to compete with the Toyota LandCruiser Prado.  There’s also potential for a plug-in hybrid or even fully electric variants of the Tasman to launch in the coming years. 

Australia’s new car market is at a “crisis point”, according to the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA).  The AADA has warned dealers are losing money due to the influx of new car brands. AADA Chief Executive Officer James Voortman said Australia needs to stop letting new car brands launch here. “Dealers are facing intense competition, relentless pressure to take more stock and rising business costs. Too often, they are left to absorb the financial consequences of decisions made elsewhere in the supply chain,” Voortman said.  “There are simply too many manufacturers operating in this market and we need a pause on further car brands entering this market. At a time when other countries are trying to slow the rate of change and number of brands, Australia is allowing unfettered access to this market.” New car brands continue to launch in Australia, growing from 39 in 2021 to 67 in 2026, with more on the way in the coming months.  AADA has set out a 10-point plan, with recommendations for the government, suppliers and manufacturers.  The association wants the government to consider a capped licensing regime and pause the entry of any new brands into Australia.  It has called for the implementation of proposed dealer protections to be fast-tracked and liability of Australian Consumer Law breaches to be repositioned onto manufacturers, with new brand entries paused until this has been achieved.  It also wants at least a 12-month price freeze to guard against “severe pressure” on dealer profitability.  Among the changes for manufacturers is the agreement of realistic sales targets, allowing dealers to decline excess stock without facing commercial penalties.  AADA has previously raised concerns around long car repair and refund wait times in Australia as well as a "wave of litigation" when EV batteries need replacement outside of warranty. Australia’s market provides a near-perfect environment for new car brands to launch, because they are not subjected to major tariffs or prohibitive fees. It’s seen brands from around the world, especially China, flood into Aussie showrooms offering buyers very competitive prices.  Many Chinese brands operate with extensive sub-brand networks. There could be as many as nine Chery sub-brands in Australia by the end of 2027, while BYD and GWM also continue to actively add to their line-ups. These brands have capacity to produce copious amounts of stock, but selling them isn’t as simple a task, according to Voortman.  “Pushing excessive stock onto dealers is fuelling a race to the bottom. Aggressive discounting erodes margins and devalues vehicles while dealers carry the financing costs and risk of unsold vehicles,” Voortman said. “Strong headline vehicle sales can conceal serious financial distress at the businesses making those sales. Dealers cannot keep absorbing higher costs, lower margins and greater stock risk indefinitely.” This news follows reports that some Chinese brands are losing money on cars sold. Hyundai Australia Chief Executive Officer and President Don Romano told CarsGuide in July 2026 BYD’s approach to the Australian market wasn’t sustainable.  "I think if I were to lose money and dump cars, and if my stock price was down 40 per cent, I could do the same," Romano said.  "I think there's a big difference between growth at any cost and growth organically, so I'm not surprised. I would be if it was sustainable.”

A new and improved Kia Tasman is coming soon, with a production date locked in. Leaked documents have detailed the company’s future product plan, including production of an improved Tasman ute and an expansion of Tasman derivative models. The documents originate from Kia’s Employment Stability Committee, which is a management body formed between Kia and the union representing Kia factory workers. This body is responsible for negotiating factory allocation, Korean factory investments and more. The documents state the Hwaseong factory, which is responsible for building the Tasman, is slated to review the new Tasman and its derivatives in 2028. This follows Kia Australia telling CarsGuide to not expect the upgraded Tasman until 2028 at the earliest. Australia’s importance to the Tasman success means we will likely be one of the first markets to receive it. Despite its poor sales to date, Kia won’t be speeding up the crucial mid-life update despite it already testing components here, according to Kia Australia. "That's part of the process. There's a normal Product Enhancement process applied to it like any other car. So that's happening now, if you like," says Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer Graeme Gambold. "And that's not just facelifted exterior styling. That's also different shock absorber technology, probably powertrain options, and a whole lot of things. "We've got some bits here that we've got to test, or that has asked us to test. So if we like those parts, they'll come to market when we're facelifting. So there's a lot of ongoing things happening with . But that's the same for any car – it doesn't just stop once we launch it." The future production plans show Tasman model derivatives, which could be the rumoured new SUV-bodied 4WD to take on the Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. Kia has previously said an SUV-bodied version of the Tasman was a possibility, but it wasn’t a priority right now. It appears it might be more of a priority in a few years with an upgraded Tasman to base it on. Model expansion also could mean a hybrid and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options, which will help it meet tightening emissions laws around the globe but also meet buyer demand that is gobbling up Chinese rivals with petrol-electric power. This would also make it more palatable for an SUV-bodied version, which can compete with future plug-in hybrid versions of the Mitsubishi Pajero and Nissan Terrano 4WDs.

Australia is officially a buyers market for new ute shoppers. Carmakers of all shapes and sizes are delivering outstanding deals on new vehicles, as an increasing number of brands fight over a pool of buyers that isn’t growing at the same rate. Kia is now the latest to offer sharp deals, with its Tasman dual-cab ute the pick of the litter. Kia has wiped $5000 off the price of the Tasman SX four-wheel drive variant, which is now available for $49,990 drive-away down from $54,490 (before on-road costs). Higher grade SX+ 4WD variants can be had for $54,990 drive-away, compared to $62,390 (before on-road costs), which is a whopping saving of more than $10,000. ABN holders can access the $5000 discount on single- and dual-cab-chassis S and SX versions with an alloy tray, too. It is only available on 2025 model year examples and it must be ordered and delivered in November. The controversially-styled Tasman has been a slow seller for Kia, with less than 400 sold through the first nine months of this year. Kia initially expected to move 20,000 Tasmans annually.  It has all the things a ute owner needs, though. Power comes from a 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine making 154kW and 440Nm, which is paired to an eight-speed auto driving all four wheels. It has high and low gears, can tow up to 3500kg and - depending on variant - has a one tonne payload. Ute deals used to be rare, and mostly locked in for the End of Financial Year. Not anymore, with even the mighty Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux resorting to deals to entice customers. Toyota is chucking in a $4000 deposit bonus on new mid-range HiLux SR5 variants. There are a few caveats, with it purchased with at least $10,000 financed through Toyota and it excludes the electric version. Ford is giving new customers of the Ranger XLT, Wildtrak and Tremor variants a $4000 fuel card. Mitsubishi is also giving customers a $3000 fuel card with Triton purchases and LDV has permanently wiped thousands off the price of a T60 workhorse.

Many Aussie have bought their first ever EV in 2026 and it’s changed the new car market forever. The Iran war's impact on fuel prices is often put forward as a key reason why more people than ever are making the electric car switch, but that's not the full story. Ed Harvey, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Australasian home EV charger manufacturer Evnex, told CarsGuide it was fuel security that started to sway buyers. “It flipped the argument,” Harvey said. “The fuel prices have not just really strengthened the cost-saving argument, but also I think it's the first time that people really started talking about energy security or transport security.” Range anxiety has put many buyers off EVs.  It combines a fear of running out of charge with having nowhere to charge it. Harvey said the fuel crisis brought about by the Iran war and the closing of the integral Strait of Hormuz in March 2026 started to change buyer perception. Buyers can now save as much as $3600 a year in just fuel costs by making the EV switch, according to Evnex's research, but Harvey said fuel security also started to cause anxiety with panic fuel buying leading to localised shortages. The federal government relaxed fuel standards and released reserves, while launching a $20 million “Every little bit helps” fuel conservation advertising campaign. Harvey said it was fuel availability not fuel prices that "flipped the script" for many buyers. Drivers worried about where they could fill up as opposed to where they could charge up, for the first time. “I think that really changed how people thought about energy security and our reliance on imported fossil fuels,” Harvey said. “I knew some people with petrol or diesel vehicles that were asking friends to borrow electric vehicles for the holiday period because they were nervous they might not be able to get where they needed to go.” BYD Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins told CarsGuide higher fuel prices and fuel shortages contributed to exponential EV uptake earlier in 2026. Collins described the early stages of the fuel crisis period as a “pivotal point” and an “unprecedented time”. “That March, early April period - I think it was genuinely only a four-week period where we saw a big spike in orders,” Collins said. “I think there were a lot of people that were on the cusp of buying an EV and that tipped a lot of people into ‘I’ll just make the decision now’. “It was a pretty tumultuous time, so I think there’s some truth to that.” The Electric Vehicle Council’s (EVC) 2026 ‘State of EVs’ report found buyers purchased one EV every 100 seconds in the first half of 2026. Electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales contributed to more than a quarter of all new car sales in the first half of the year, compared to roughly one in every 10 in the first half of 2025. Where there are competitive EV choices, buyers are making the switch, such as the mid-size SUV segment. The BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5 and Tesla Model Y have consistently featured among the best-selling cars in Australia in 2026, and have experienced unprecedented growth. There hasn’t been the same growth in some other large segments of the market, and this is because competitive EV choices are still emerging, according to Electric Vehicle Council Chair and Origin Energy E-mobility GM Chau Le. “In each of these segments, EVs are becoming competitive, but we're not quite there yet in some of the segments,” Le told CarsGuide. “We're still a bit out, but with more EV models coming in and improvement in battery technology, it's only a matter of time until we're competitive across all segments.” There are no electrified utes that reach the balance of affordability, capability and driveability that their diesel counterparts have yet. Diesel-powered utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux continue to be a significant component of the new car market. Once competitive electric ute choices emerge, the ute segment will likely follow a similar transformation to the rest of the new car market. New car buyers' priorities have shifted permanently, and there's nothing fuel prices or supplies can do to change it.

Kia’s EV5 electric mid-size SUV is about to get a major update in Australia.  A facelifted EV5 has just appeared in Australian sales approval documents for the first time. The EV5 is Kia’s best-selling fully-electric model on sale in 2026, edging out the smaller EV3 for the title. It tackles the Toyota bZ4X ($55,990) as well as hugely popular rivals the BYD Sealion 7 ($54,990) and Tesla Model Y ($58,900), all before on-road costs. The new EV5 should arrive in showrooms in mid-2027. The EV5 will receive a minor power boost for its updated model. The two-wheel drive variant’s single electric motor now produces 175kW instead of 160kW, while the dual motors in the all-wheel drive make 249kW, up from 230kW. Kia will continue to equip the EV5 with either a 64kWh or 88kWh battery, but we don't know if they will provide greater driving range.  The current EV5 offers between 400km and 555km of driving range, depending on the variant, according to WLTP standards.  It’s rumoured the EV5 will feature an updated ride and handling tune for Aussie roads in line with other models in Kia’s line-up.  The 2027 EV5 has some subtle styling tweaks for its mid-life update, with some new body creases and a sharper design.  It also features what looks to be a front camera bar fixed to the grille area. The car is basically dimensionally identical to its soon-to-be predecessor, measuring 4613mm long, 1875mm wide, 1715mm tall, with a 2750mm wheelbase.  The EV5 is scheduled to launch in mid-2027, but it’s unclear exactly when it will hit showrooms.  Buyers can expect more official news on the updated EV5 before the end of 2026. Kia will reveal pricing closer to the new EV5’s arrival, with a firm price yet to be confirmed.   The EV5 range currently kicks off from $56,770, with prices rising up to $71,770 for the top-spec car (before on-road costs). 

Fresh updates have emerged about Hyundai’s long-awaited ute for Australia. Last week, the brand revealed the as-yet unnamed answer to the Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6, Toyota HiLux and Chery Stockman has been whittled down to a choice of two upcoming global models. Both options may end up coming to Australia, serving two different ends of the segment, with the more-premium entrant also including a 4WD wagon to take on the new Mitsubishi Pajero, Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. According to Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) Chief Operating Officer Gavin Donaldson the ute (and likely any SUV offshoot) could be either the American proposal as loosely previewed by the Boulder SUV concept… or something based upon something else. "There is a lot of discussion," he told CarsGuide. "We've kept two options open, because we think both could technically work. We won't shut the door on one and then maybe (want the other). We've maintained two options that we have kept it open for." Asked if the Boulder Concept is the front runner, Donaldson said it is in with a strong chance. “Whilst we can't confirm, we will probably say if (Hyundai internationally) is looking at something from the (United) States, we could still consider that one, because that's definitely on the drawing board," he revealed. "And then there’s other one. I would just say the only other option is if we wanted to bring speed to market quicker… there's probably only one other option.” While Donaldson declined to elaborate on that, it is believed that he is referring to an updated version based on the Kia Tasman. He also hinted that Australia is having input into development. “There's a lot of discussions, a lot of recommendations,” he said. “We're putting through all the different style of pickup we would want. We've made it very clear what we want. “We make it very clear what powertrain want, and now we're just working through the process of what's achievable and what’s not.” This could mean that the Tasman would come first to speed things up, as the Boulder concept-derived ute and SUV will not likely arrive until near the end of the decade at the earliest. Fuelling this speculation is Donaldson’s comments about having to settle for something other than the preferred petrol-electric hybrid powertrain – which immediately puts to mind the Hyundai Motor Group’s long-lived 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine as found in the Tasman. “Ultimately, we're saying we think we probably need a hybrid engine of some sort,” he said. “But we'll never say never to any powertrain at the end of the day, because if something means it can come along quicker with a different powertrain, then we would say yes. “But for us, we think it's a hybrid powertrain is what we need.” Whichever ute comes first to Australia, it is clear that HMCA is considering a two-pronged attack on the market. “(With the Boulder Concept-based ute), we're trying to simplify a very complex internal business discussion,” according to HMCA product planning manager, Tim Rodgers. “It’s got multiple layers and paths and options…” Watch this space.

Australia’s EV buying growth has just been put on a global scale. AutoNews has released its “Global EV Report” looking at electric vehicle uptake around the world. Combined fully-electric and plug-in hybrid sales in Australia grew from just one per cent in 2025 to 15 per cent by 2025. The report confirmed BYD as the world’s leading EV manufacturers, with Tesla and Geely also making major contributions, which is reflected in their sales performance Down Under. It’s forecast that more than 66 per cent of the world’s EVs will be built in China in 2026.  Australia’s EV sales grew by 14 percentage points between 2020 and 2025, according to the report, which is more than South Korea, the United States and New Zealand for the same period.  Australia’s EV uptake still lags behind many of the world’s biggest markets.  China’s EV sales have grown by 47 points, while EV sales in the United Kingdom grew from 11 per cent to 35 per cent.  This news follows the Electric Vehicle Council’s “State of EV’s” report that found one in four new vehicles sold in the first half of 2026 were either fully-electric or PHEV in Australia. The EVC noted sales must still increase tenfold to reach a targeted five million EVs on Aussie roads by 2035.  Australia’s market is well set up for large-scale EV uptake because it has limited import restrictions and associated costs compared to other countries.  This differs from Europe, for example, which has placed hefty tariffs on Chinese imported EVs as it aims to protect its local carmaking industry.  Australia's open market allows Chinese automakers to rapidly roll out new models Down Under, several of which have become top sellers. The predominantly China-built Tesla Model Y mid-size SUV is the best-selling EV in Australia, while the closely-rivaling BYD Sealion 7 isn’t far behind.  Other EVs, including the Geely EX5 and Zeekr 7X have also taken the market by storm in 2026, at the expensive of some Australia's previous petrol- and diesel-powered favourites. Nepal led global EV market share growth between 2020 and 2025 with a 58 percentage point jump, with electric and plug-in hybrid representing 68 per cent of all new vehicle sales.  Vietnam also saw substantial growth, going from no EV sales to 41 per cent in the five-year period.  Singapore saw a comparable surge, climbing from three per cent in 2020 to 40 per cent in 2025. Norway had an incredible 97 per cent of its new car sales that were represented by EV and PHEV in 2025. The United States has one of the worst EV uptake rates for the period, according to AutoNews.  It only grew from two per cent to 10 per cent across the five years, with only Canada and New Zealand recording less growth.  This slower uptake is due to trade barriers such as the US government’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made EVs, as well as national security and surveillance concerns restricting imports further.  While BYD, Tesla and Geely produce the most EVs, Volkswagen also registers a strong contribution, along with Leapmotor and Hyundai.