Kia Ceres Reviews

Best new cars coming to Australia in 2026

Electric vehicle battery factories are being built faster than EVs are selling.

It looks like an all-electric ute from Kia won’t happen.It was just earlier this year the brand confirmed its plans to introduce an all-electric ute by 2030 to partner its Tasman diesel sibling. The Tasman joined the Australian market in April 2025 as a 2.2-litre diesel and is approaching 3000 sales for the year. Kia is now probing a hybrid version of the ute to take on the strong-selling BYD Shark 6.The EV pick-up was planned to be built for North America, which lends to the prospect of it being a similar size to the big pick-ups such as Ford’s F-150 and the Chevrolet Silverado. The ute was expected to sell 90,000 units annually “mid-to-long-term”, following a full launch. This exceeds expectations for the Tasman, which is targeted for a 80,000-unit annual global sales target. Now tariffs appear to be stunting any progress on an EV pick-up truck from Kia, according to Car and Driver.Heavy tariffs remain on Korean steel, aluminium and derivative products. The consequence of these tariffs has caused the brand to indefinitely delay the launch of its EV4 sedan in the US.The same tariff-related trouble is forcing the South Korean company to backtrack on its EV ute aspirations, with the project regressing back into the ‘evaluation stage’. With Kia’s plans for a big EV ute fading away in the US, it seems unlikely that Australia will see something similar from Kia in the market for some time.Kia already sell several EVs in Australia and will bring across its EV4 sedan in January 2026, followed by a hatch variant later next year.The Kia EV pick-up's apparent demise continues a growing trend of big EV utes struggling to get off the ground, particularly in the US. Earlier this year, RAM put its 1500 all-electric full-size pick-up on ice, citing slowing demand for the decision, while Tesla was also forced to cull its cheapest Cybertruck variant.Ford’s F-150 Lightning has been an exception, with its sales recovering confidently after the brand temporarily halted production late last year. 

There might not be a better time to buy that new car you’ve been thinking about.

Kia has shown off a tough version of its EV5 electric SUV.

The Toyota GR Corolla is bringing some efficiency and structural updates that are set to sharpen up the Japanese hot hatch.The Kia EV4 sedan will be the first EV4 body style to arrive, with its production in South Korea meaning it's easier to get here first.Closely related to the EV3, the EV4 is longer, wider and taller than a Tesla Model 3.Built in Slovakia and set to arrive later, the Kia EV4 hatch will mirror the sedan in many ways, aside from being shorter.As with the sedan, a a 58kWh Standard Range or 81kWh Long Range pack are confirmed internationally.Want to know what other new models are due in 2026? Check out our rolling coverage by clicking on the links below. Best EVs Australia 2026Best Ute Australia 2026Best 4x4 Australia 2026Best New Cars 2026 AustraliaBest Family Cars Australia 2026Best Hybrid Cars Australia 2026Best SUVs Australia 2026

The electric car onslaught will continue in 2026 with the announcement of more than 20 new models in Australia.

Our best look at the next-gen Sorento's design yet.

A new budget hatch is set to join the Aussie new car market as Kia has announced pricing and specifications for its updated K4. The K4 now comes as a hatch or sedan, starting from $32,090, before on-road costs, in either form. It keeps its two engine choices, both front-wheel drive, which have been tweaked according to Kia. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine comes in the first four grades in the line-up and produces 110kW and 180Nm, with a continuously variable automatic transmission. The range-topping GT-Line, gets a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, pumping out 142kW and 265Nm with an eight-speed auto. Its price has been bumped up slightly across the range, as the base model S grade is now $2000 more than the previous sedan-only variant, which launched at the start of 2025.The K4 has been embroiled in a tight fight in the small car category, facing tough competition from the Toyota Corolla, the category’s best-seller, which has hit nearly 16,000 sales so far this year.The K4 also trails Hyundai’s i30 and the Mazda 3 which, with nearly 20,000 sales in 2025, combine for almost 40 per cent of the segment, while the K4 has managed a little over 5000 units.  An electric version of the K4 sedan, the EV4 will launch in January 2026, with the hatch variant scheduled for the second half of next year. 16-inch alloy wheelsCloth trim seatsTwo-spoke steering wheelFour-inch driver displayMetal paint finish door handlesFour cupholdersApple CarPlay and Android AutoSix-speaker sound systemSatellite navigationSport grade features:17-inch alloy wheels12.3-inch multimedia screen12.3-inch digital driver displayDual-zone climate controlAuto window defog Sport+ grade features:Synthetic leather seatsHeated front seatsSilver door handlesIlluminated glove boxSolar glass windscreenRain-sensing wipers GT-line features:18-inch alloy wheelsCombined rear lightsFront fog lightsSynthetic leather seats with GT-Line stylingMemory driver seatGloss black window and wheel arch surroundsGloss black grilleGloss black door mirrorsSunroofThree-spoke two-tone steering wheelHeated steering wheelPaddle shiftersAmbient lightingPremium eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound systemVentilated front seatsPowered seatsThe K4 sedan was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, with the optional ‘Safety Pack’ ($2100). Without the Safety Pack, it received a four-star rating. The K4 hatch has not been assessed by ANCAP.Front and rear parking sensorsReversing cameraAuto emergency breakingBlind spot detectionLane keep assistLane follow assistS grade with Safety Pack features:Crossing and direct oncoming lane change detectionSport features:Lane change assistSport+ features:Auto dimming rear view mirrorThe car gets a seven-year, unlimited km warranty. 

A new safety report has rated some popular used cars.Monash University’s Accident Research Centre Used Car Safety Ratings for 2025 have been revealed, with 23 new vehicles added to the handbook that covers vehicles built between 1982 and 2023.Top picks of the newly added vehicles were the 2013-22 Ford Transit van, 2014-21 BMW 2 Series, 2019-23 Mazda CX-30, 2017-23 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and 2018-23 Subaru Forester.The report revealed the average risk of being killed or seriously injured across all road users involved in a crash is 34 per cent lower in a vehicle manufactured from 2022 onwards, compared to 20 years ago. The ratings report looked at crash data analysing more than 9.5 million vehicles and 2.6 million road users in Australia and New Zealand between 1987 and 2022. It rated 561 vehicle models that were built between 1982 and 2023 looking at factors such as crash location, driver age and the number of vehicles involved. It measured safety through an overall rating with three categories: driver safety, other road user safety and crash avoidance. All are ranked out of five.Certain vehicles received a ‘Safer Pick’, where they scored five stars for overall and driver protection, with at least four stars for other road user safety and crash avoidance. Almost all 'Safer Pick' vehicles are available second-hand for under $25,000 and more than half priced below $10,000, according to Monash University.The report made particular note of the high risk attached to ute crashes, with only one ute achieving a five-star overall rating, and 70 per cent one or two stars.Some of this real-world data does not line up with ANCAP safety ratings. The Ford Mustang, manufactured from 2015-2022, received a two-star rating, which was later upgraded to three-stars with ANCAP. Yet, it achieved a near all-excellent rating in real-world crashes, according to the data.The full data set is available here.