2026 Kia EV2 Reviews

EVs are more than just cars in Australia.They can charge devices, power houses and even earn their owners money, as Australia's energy grid undergoes a once-in-a-generation transformation.Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is the final step to fully unlock this potential for electric cars Down Under.V2G is a type of bi-directional charging, a technology that comprises vehicle-to-load (V2L), vehicle-to-home (V2H) and V2G.It allows an electric car to use its battery to send its power back into the energy grid, rather than just power external devices, or charge home batteries.V2G allows owners to charge up their EVs at cheaper times and sell it back to the electricity grid at more expensive times.Rooftop solar, of which Australia has some of the highest uptake in the world, can also be used to charge an EV effectively for free and transfer the stored electricity to the grid for pure profit, especially when an abundance of sunlight has home battery systems fully charged.V2G is not far away in Australia, but there remains roadblocks to its full-scale uptake. Many car manufacturer warranties do not support V2G use as they do not cover battery damage caused by third-party set-ups.Rapidly transferring energy on incompatible vehicles can cause substantial wear on the battery and cause other safety issues. There is also debate about which safety protocols V2G should abide by in Australia as the tech faces regulatory hurdles.The latest ISO 15118-20 protocol is deemed safer than the original ISO 15118-2 for example, but it will need longer to be fully implemented in Australia.Manufacturers are starting to alter their warranties and are undergoing extensive trials for the technology with electricity providers. We are likely to see a full-scale uptake of V2G in Australia within the next couple of years, as regulatory approvals and car warranties catch up, but there is still work to do to make them safer and more efficient. Hyundai and Kia are expected to prepare major announcements for the tech within the next few months.Some models already on sale with V2G capability may be able to use the technology via a software, such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but it is unclear exactly which models will be eligible.The federal government has shown a keen interest in V2G as part of its energy policy and has recently committed substantial investment towards establishing a network through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) which currently helps to fund other EV technologies like public DC fast chargers.

Kia has teased its electric Carnival alternative overseas. The brand has provided a glimpse at its new PV7 van ahead of an official debut on 14 September 2026 at the IAA Transportation.  The PV7 is the bigger sibling of the PV5 that launched in Australia this year. It will tackle the Ford E-Transit Custom van as well as the Hyundai Staria Electric people mover. It would shape up as a cheaper alternative to luxury Chinese competition such as the Denza D9 and Zeekr 009 in Australia. Details are scarce at this stage, with Kia only providing a preview before it receives an official unveiling next month. The PV7 is expected to be available in both cargo and passenger configurations, as Kia stated it is adaptable across commercial and lifestyle applications. The PV7 concept was nearly 5.3m long, which is a little longer than the diesel- and hybrid-powered Carnival.From the outside, it sports a rounded front look, similar to the PV5, while it also features an angular headlight design.Its rear headlights are assembled in a vertical shape, with a chrome-look rear bumper. It will be the brand’s second model to use its dedicated all-electric E-GMP.S platform, following the PV5. Kia has not confirmed what will power the PV7, but the PV5 employs a single electric motor producing 120kW and 250Nm. More details will be revealed in the coming weeks. There is no official word on the PV7 in Australia, but it seems likely Kia would be eager to add another electric people mover to its line-up. The PV7 will launch in the UK next year, so it will be built in right-hand drive, smoothing its potential launch here.Kia recently launched the smaller PV5 Down Under, with the cargo variant arriving first followed by the people mover that has just been approved for local sale.An Australian arrival for the PV7 would come after it launches globally in 2027.We can expect more concrete information around the PV7’s Australian future when it’s officially unveiled next month.

As with its Hyundai Tucson cousin, the last two generations of Kia Sportage have long been good cars in search of better petrol powertrains.The old 2.0-litre atmo unit lacked spark and the 1.6-litre turbo was too highly strung for a family runabout.The petrol-electric hybrid vehicle (HEV) that usurps both, on the other hand, strikes the right chord, but wasn’t available in base guise – until now.The entry-level S Hybrid, from $44,490, drive-away, puts the base Sportage right in the Chinese electrified mid-sized SUV heartland.Inevitably, several plug-in hybrid (PHEV) rivals cost less and yet bring more equipment, like the BYD Sealion 5, Chery Tiggo 7, Geely Starray and Jaecoo J7. But cheapness is their main attraction and most suffer from some worrying deficiencies.Oddly, though, the S overlaps with some hybrid-only alternatives from China, like the GWM Haval H6 and MG HS, though again, both require more development.The Kia undercuts Japanese base-grade hybrid equivalents, such as the Nissan X-Trail e-Power, Honda CR-V e:HEV and, of course, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid that begins from about $6000 more.That said, the S isn’t scant on spec, with much of the expected convenience basics, like climate control, a reversing camera, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and alloy wheels.You’ll also find:A space-saver spare wheel – thank you, KiaSeven years of free Kia Connect remote app services accessKeyless entry and startA 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android AutoAdaptive cruise controlFront and rear parking sensorsIn other words, all you need and a bit more besides. There’s no wireless phone charger or heated front seats at this price point, though.Now in its fifth generation since 1993, today’s Sportage has been an especially strong seller worldwide.Maybe that’s why last year’s facelift is subtle. An obvious difference is the removal of the fussy inverted ‘V’ LED lighting up front, connecting the mid-sized SUV to some of its younger SUV siblings.Similarly, the Sportage’s cabin presentation has also weathered well.At first glance, you’d be hard pressed to pick this as the entry-level Sportage.Yes, the seats are cloth instead of modish synthetic leather (though vinyl belongs in record sleeves not in SUVs) and the driver’s side lacks lumbar adjustment. But these are the only real concessions to cost cutting.Dominating things is Kia’s classy, curved dual-display dash, which remains visually contemporary and operates smartly, swiftly and smoothly, while a row of fixed virtual buttons below responds on the first touch and are paragons of clarity. China (and Mazda CX-5), please heed, since the Hyundai Motor Group knows how to balance dashboard design and ergonomics effectively.The front seats provide adequate comfort and support, the driving position is faultless, the ventilation works fine, there is an abundance of storage and the quality of execution stands out.As with the spacious front row, back-seat entry and egress is effortless. The Sportage’s roomy rear features cushions are fixed, but remain adequately comfy, aided by backrests that recline a little. Also present are air vents, cupholders, USB-C ports and a folding armrest. Not bad for a base bus.Further back, even with the spare wheel, VDA luggage capacity is a decent 586 litres, expanding to 1872L with the 60/40 split-fold backrests dropped. Electrification need not compromise practicality.The S Hybrid 2WD uses a 132kW/265Nm 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol hybrid engine, paired to a 47.7kW/264Nm electric motor, driving the front wheels via a six-speed torque-converter automatic.Combined outputs are 173kW and 367Nm, while a 1.49kWh lithium-ion battery is located by the multi-link rear axle.The result is remarkably velvety performance, from stepping off the line in EV-first mode, to maintaining a strong and steady pace at speed once the internal-combustion engine seamlessly pipes in.A world away from the wheezy old 2.0L unit, the Sportage is especially adept at delivering immediate, muscular throttle response, especially in Sport mode, for satisfyingly instant overtaking, though it’s also refined enough to be licence-losingly rapid even before the driver notices. Beware.This fluid ease also describes the handling set-up, with engagingly linear steering for quick yet controlled cornering capabilities aided by finely calibrated brakes (not always a given in hybrids).While not as supple as, say, the latest CX-5’s, the S Hybrid's suspension tune remains acceptably firm. And, save for the tiring speed-sign warnings, the ADAS tech is sufficiently calibrated for Australian roads. Again, not a given nowadays.Fixes for the next model should include grippier tyres than what the Nexen Roadian rubber provide in the wet and a tighter turning circle.Still, the S Hybrid shows that the Sportage has evolved and matured remarkably. A far cry from the dynamic calamity of the earliest generations.Pump-to-pump, we averaged 5.8 litres per 100km over a week’s worth of often-spirited inner-urban, freeway and performance-testing driving, against 5.2L/100km on the trip computer and Kia’s claim of 4.9L/100km.In theory, the Hybrid 2WD is capable of 1060km between refills of (91 RON standard) petrol.Finally, tested back in 2022, the Sportage garnered a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, largely for “good” occupant protection.The long role call of ADAS tech includes multi-faceted autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-support systems, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist and safe exit warning.Meanwhile, there’s a seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and up to eight years of roadside assistance if serviced at Kia. Intervals are every 12 months or 10,000km.Capped-price servicing is listed at $353, $561, $422, $880, $397, $703 and $716 over the first seven years, totalling $4032. That’s $1185 more than the albeit-$6K-costlier base RAV4 over the same period.

Car makers are always coming up with new features in the name of making our driving time more comfortable, convenient or safe but sometimes the result is the opposite.Yep, as car reviewers there’s a list of well known, very annoying features that we could really do without.So here’s a quick collection of the most annoying new car features... and please feel free to add your own to this never ending list. Massive glass roofs look amazing in a car dealer’s showroom but on the road during an Australian summer they make you feel like a rotisserie chicken - not to mention the dangers of sun exposure in this part of the world. Thankfully some roofs have retractable shades and some have decently thick ones to cut down the light and heat. The Tesla Model Y has an expansive fixed glass roof and no screen to shield its occupants from that furnace in the sky.This sounds super irresponsible to anybody who hasn't experienced the nightmarish intrusiveness of modern safety alerts that are supposedly designed to reduce speeding and distraction, but trust us..We’re talking about speed warning alarms, which activate at 2km/h over the posted speed limit (often falsely), distraction alerts that are triggered by the driver looking out for pedestrians and overly aggressive lane keeping assistance that feels like a sudden arm wrestle. The systems in our opinion become potentially a safety issue in themselves.Kia and Hyundai have been criticised in the past especially for over zealous safety alert systems, but pretty much every new car now has them - some worse than others.Do you know how many people used to say, “I wish my car’s door handles weren’t so easy to use, I want something that’s awkward and confusing to operate, something so flimsy it feels like it might snap off in my hand”? I’ll tell you - nobody.With the advent of electric vehicles came door handles that retracted flush with the car’s body to improve aerodynamics and in turn energy efficiency, which is all very good but it came at the price of functionality. Is it really necessary - I mean you can’t tell me regular door handles create that much drag?  Possibly the worst door handles I’ve ever encountered are on the Cadillac Optic. They’re as thin as a pencil and make opening the Cadillac super heavy doors ridiculously difficult.Another case of re-inventing something that wasn’t broken, the camera wing mirror is more a case of car designers saying "look at what we can do" rather than actually improving upon the simplicity and effectiveness of a piece of shiny glass.Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Gensis GV60 can be had with camera mirrors - yeah, no thanks!Can’t wait for my bathroom mirror to be replaced by a camera and a screen.Anyone that’s needed to get something from the boot in a hurry because it's raining but had to stand there getting soaked waiting for the electric tailgate to slowly open, will tell you that it would have been quicker to open it themselves. And as for the gesture tailgates that require a swoosh with your foot top open - they seem to work about 50 per cent of the time.  An all-time low for me and gesture tailgates was when I was trying to take a Christmas tree out from the boot of a Mazda CX-70 and somehow my moving foot told it to start shutting without me realising it until it closed down on me. The car basically ate me alive. Car companies have tried to integrate digital assistants into their cars to carry out functions such as opening the windows or lowering the cabin temperature.The problem is getting the voice assistant to listen to you, understand you or even do anything is almost impossible which is a lot like being the parent of a teenager.Myself and the rest of the motoring media are to blame for encouraging car companies to do away with easy-to-use buttons and dials and move all the functions to a screen that forces the driver to step through three pages of a menu just to turn the climate control down. Yes, for years we praised cabins with “minimalist interiors” and “cleanly designed, button-less dash boards”. Well careful what you wish for, because now all I want is a knob for the stereo volume.  The Geely EX5 has a very cleanly designed button-less dash, which isn't a good thing after all.Some cars play little musical greetings when you sit down in the driver's seat. I find these as enjoyable to listen to as those birthday cards that play songs.As with door handles and wing mirrors, steering wheels never needed re-inventing but again and again car companies try to do so. Peugeot, Subaru and Geely have dabbled with not-round steering wheels but the worst we've seen is possibly the yoke in the new Lexus RZ550e F Sport. Seriously car companies - stop it. Ok there’s so many more features I loathe but let's end on a really good one - tyre puncture repair kits. These usually involve a small compressor and canister of goo which is used to fill a flat tyre sealing the puncture and have you on your way.Sounds great, but it isn't. I’ve been on the side of the road in the bush with a puncture and used the repair kit only to watch all the good squirt out through the hole in my tyre sealing nothing but my opinions on how useless these devices can be.

The Kia Tasman had big dreams in Australia, including spawning a proper ute-based 4WD SUV to do battle with the Ford Everest. Slow sales have stalled that plan, but could the ute's upcoming facelift reignite the plan?Let's hope so, because these new unofficial renders show how cool the Tasman could look if it cops the full SUV treatment. Officially, Kia says the SUV plan is on hold as it pours focus into making the Tasman a success in Australia and abroad. Slower-than-expected sales here have forced Korea back to the drawing board in an effort to drum up interest."We've been quite vocal, and we always have been with this car in particular," Kia has previously told CarsGuide. "We're very vocal with our superiors, and up front. We're definitely being very deliberate in what we think might be hampering its sales performance."If we want to be a third of the total production volume, they've got to be receptive. But it's not necessarily going to happen at the speed at which you might feel the market might be thinking."Because a major redesign; it's not simple. And when you've already invested in tooling for sheet metal and tooling for plastics, it's a multi-million-dollar process."It's that redesign that has paused the Tasman's SUV project, with a new ute required for a new SUV. Spencer Cho, Kia’s Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Business Planning Subdivision, has told CarsGuide that, while "there might be options", it wasn't on the priority list."Well, there might be options, but at this point, we are trying to focus on what we can and what we can do better, and of course, we can give much more choices to the customers,” he said.“At this time, as you know, we have the ICE line-up, and we also have close to the full EV line-up as well."For now, then, the Tasman SUV is a pipe dream.

Kia's all-new PV5 Cargo van brings sophisticated design and long driving range at an enticing price to Australia's expanding full-electric commercial van fleet, but is it a practical alternative to traditional diesel rivals?

Aussie buyers will soon have a new electric people mover to choose from.The Kia PV5 Passenger has been approved for sale, according to a filing published by the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. This is one of the car’s final steps before it hits Aussie showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year, joining the PV5 Cargo variant already on sale.It provides Kia with an electric option to complement the bigger, segment-dominating diesel- and hybrid-powered eight-seater Carnival.Electric people movers are on the rise in Australia, with luxurious Chinese rivals the Denza D9 and the Zeekr 009 giving Kia something to think about. The PV5 is much smaller than these competitors, but it should compensate with a much cheaper price point. The PV5 people mover will be exclusively sold as a seven-seater, meaning buyers won’t be able to purchase five-seater variants sold overseas. It will be offered in a single ‘Long Range’ variant powered by one electric motor, producing 120kW and 250Nm - matching the PV5 Cargo. It is also equipped with the same 71.2kWh battery, and should offer 416km of WLTP driving range like the PV5 Cargo. The PV5 Passenger sizes up identically to the Cargo with dimensions 4695mm long, 1895mm wide, 1899mm tall, with a 2995mm wheelbase. The PV5 people mover has a braked towing capacity of 750kg. Kia will reveal official pricing closer to its fourth quarter launch, but the Cargo’s $55,990 (before on-road costs) provides a rough indication of where it could land. People mover variants usually incur a decent price hike over their cargo siblings, so expect the PV5 Passenger to sit between $60,000 and $70,000. Kia’s PV5 should provide a cheaper option to bigger luxury-pitched alternatives the Denza D9 and Zeekr 009.

This could be a huge problem for EV owners in Australia. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is the next big step to unlocking the full potential of electric cars. V2G allows an EV battery to send its power back to the grid, allowing owners to make money at peak times.Electric cars sales are already booming in Australia, but this added functionality gives them an even sharper edge over petrol- and diesel-powered alternatives. However, using V2G in Australia currently risks voiding the manufacturer's warranty of the car.Electric Vehicle Council’s Head of Energy, Infrastructure and Commercial Alina Dini told CarsGuide current warranties generally weren’t designed to account for undertaking V2G. “Unless it has been stipulated in those terms and conditions that vehicle to grid is allowed, it’s generally not,” Dini said. V2G can have a significant impact on battery condition, depleting its health more rapidly than standard use. Most EVs in Australia are not designed to have two-way power transfer, but that are a range of third-party chargers that can facilitate V2G capabilities.Hyundai Australia's Senior Manager Future Mobility and Government Relations Scott Nargar said third-party V2G set-ups don't allow the car to be in control of the energy transfer.This can lead to overheating and other safety issues, with any damage not eligible for repair under warranty.Hyundai Australia states that none of its vehicles support V2G in Australia."The use of unapproved bidirectional charging equipment introduces safety risks, potential vehicle damage and warranty implications for your vehicle," Hyundai's website said.These set-ups use workarounds to enable V2G that is otherwise prohibited by the car's software.Most brands including BYD, Hyundai, Kia, Tesla and Zeekr warn against the use of unapproved V2G set-ups, with it risking the validity of the warranty.Mitsubishi remains one of few brands to actively support V2G in its Outlander PHEV SUV warranty, but it suggests repeated fast charging will reduce battery capacity.V2G is not as much of a safety issue as it is one of technology moving quicker than the rules, according to Ms Dini. Many brands are laying the groundwork for a full-scale uptake of V2G.“What we’re finding now is that all of the automotive OEMs that we work with are having a really hard look at their warranties," Ms Dini said."They’re having conversations with their stakeholders overseas and looking to reshape the commercial arrangements for selling cars."Brands are also collaborating with energy providers and government agencies in trials that will see the technology become mainstream within the next couple of years. BYD has partnered with Amber Electric and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), while Hyundai, Kia and Zeekr are working with AGL. Developments are expected to be announced within the next few months.

Australia's top 10 sales list looks very different when automotive groups are counted together, with Hyundai and Kia rocketing up the charts and Chinese companies taking out four places in total.While vehicles might wear different names, often they are owned by the same company, such as the Volkswagen Group with VW, Skoda, Cupra, Audi and more, Toyota with Toyota and Lexuz, or Geely with Geely, Zeekr, Polestar and Lotus.Counted as groups with a single corporate owner rather than as individual brands –which, it must be pointed out, is not how Australia's official body counts sales, making this more an experiment than anything else – and the sales results look very different.At the close of July, for example, Toyota led the YTD sales charts with a total 115,550 sales. BYD nabbed second spot, with 60,192 sales, followed by Ford, Kia and Mazda, with 48,696, 48,399 and 46,960 sales. Hyundai, GWM, Chery, Tesla and Mitsubishi round out the top 10.But counting group totals rather than individual brands paints a very different picture. Toyota and Lexus still comfortably hold top spot, with 122,902 sales, but it's the Hyundai Group (Hyundai and Kia) which take second spot, with a combined 94,113. Next comes the BYD Group (BYD and Denza) with 62,885. Ford and Mazda hold onto spots four and five, even as individual players.It's spot six through 10 where things get interesting, with the Chery Group (Chery, Omoda Jaecoo) storming into spot number six with 40,522 sales. GWM remains in spot seven, while the Geely Group arrives in the top 10 with 28,089 total sales. Mitsubishi and MG (the fifth Chinese brand/group inside this new top 10) fill spots eight and nine.For Chery, the July result was enough to elevate the group to spot number four for the month – a result which did not go unnoticed at HQ."Becoming the fourth largest automotive group in Australia is a significant achievement and demonstrates how strongly Australian consumers have embraced both Chery and Omoda Jaecoo," said Lewis Lu, CEO of Chery Motor Australia.   

The much-anticipated new-generation Kia Seltos small SUV is one step closer to Aussie buyers, with it now approved for sale Down Under. The car’s homologation filing to the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts confirmed key details ahead of its arrival later this year.Seltos is one of Kia’s most popular names and is the brand’s fourth best-selling model on sale in Australia in 2026.The Seltos shapes up similarly to the Hyundai Kona Hybrid and ($36,950) and Toyota Corolla Cross ($37,440). It will also pose a new challenge to the best-selling Chery Tiggo 4, with hybrid variants starting from $29,990.Kia has officially kept Australian details close to its chest, but now some crucial details have been exposed in new government filings.We now know the hybrid-only Seltos will be available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive layouts.Both are powered by a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine and electric motor set-up, making either 118kW or 169kW, which is more power than South Korean examples.This will be Kia's first Seltos model to feature a hybrid set-up in Australia.Kia has provided no indication the overseas petrol models of the new Seltos will ever make their way to Australia.Measuring 4430mm long, 1830mm wide, 1600mm high and with a wheelbase of 2690mm, it is a similar size to its rivals the Kona and the Corolla Cross. The sunroof and power mirrors will be optional extras for the car.The Seltos has been officially slated for a Q4 2026 release, with CarsGuide previously reporting October as a more specific time frame. The base petrol grade Seltos is available in South Korea from around 25 million won, or roughly $25,000, with the hybrid closer to the equivalent of $30,000.Kia models incur a price hike on South Korean equivalents, meaning the more expensive hybrid Seltos is likely start in the mid-$30,000s range.