Kia Ev3 News

The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing after another standout month in Australia. There were 21,303 EVs sold in May 2026, as they continue to take hold at the expense of petrol- and diesel-powered cars. SUVs remain the dominant player in the electric segment, accounting for nine of the 10 best sellers.Tesla’s smashing May performance was headlined by 5605 sales for its Model Y SUV, cementing its position as the leading EV in Australia.The Model Y also claimed the title for the best-selling car in Australia last month.  The Jaecoo J5 EV had its best month on sale since it hit Aussie showrooms at the start of this year, selling 2126 units, up from less than 700 in April. This makes the J5 the best-selling small SUV in the country currently, even outselling its closely related and cheaper petrol sibling, the Chery Tiggo 4. The Geely EX5 also surged up the sales charts, achieving 1814 sales, while the BYD Sealion 7 experienced another bumper month, with 1538 sales. The Zeekr 7X rounds out the top five following a continued solid performance since its introduction late last year. BYD’s budget EV trio the Atto 3, Atto 2 and Atto 1 shifted more than 2000 units between them.The BYD Seal (580) is the only non-SUV on this list.Every car in the top 10 selling EVs for May is primarily built in China, with none coming from legacy brands. Some of the other EVs to miss out on a top 10 spot include the MG4 as well as Kia's EV3 and EV5 duo.Top selling electric cars May 2026

Kia’s head of global product planning has fired a cheeky shot at rival brands, said he believes no brand is as well-prepared as Kia for the world’s unpredictable automotive market.Spencer Cho, Kia’s Senior Vice President and Head of the Global Business Planning Subdivision, said it’s impossible to know what the industry might look like in the future, but being prepared for as many possibilities as reasonable is the best answer.Speaking with Australian media at the launch of the new-generation 2026 Kia Seltos, Cho said that he thinks no one can know how global events will affect the industry.Trying to predict the events that might change the way brands need to operate is impossible, he said, but understanding what needs to be done to respond can’t be known until after the fact.“Let me put it this way. If I can say that I can expect everything… that's not possible,” Cho said.The US-Israel war in Iran and the effects it has had on global oil shipping is front-of-mind for Cho.“No one can expect this kind of war will happen, and also a couple years ago for Russia and Ukraine, no one can expect that kind of thing.”"But what we are doing is we carefully monitor the market demand or market changes. And development of product takes quite some time. We should create very sound product strategies, and we have to maintain those strategies in a consistent manner.”Rather than scrambling to respond to changes in the industry, Cho said Kia has built enough options to be able to react quickly in a ‘here’s one we prepared earlier’ manner.“Thankfully, we studied the EV transition quite earlier than any other brand. There are also some ups and downs, but the transition and the trend stays the same, just the differences are a little bit of this slow down. So speed might be the difference.”He says the key is not drastically changing for short-term gain, rather slightly adjusting without removing options for the future. Essentially, giving EVs a boost shouldn’t mean forgetting to continue ICE development, he said.“But we stay in the course to maintain the development of the planned EV models entering each global market, step by step. Yet we're still developing the all new ICE models as well as you see in the new Seltos. “So one of the key strengths we have is all the technologies, the diesel or gasoline or hybrid and plug-ins and EVs.”“So we have all the options in our hands. “Certain market ups and downs… hybrid is rising, we can provide hybrid models. If EV is coming, we can provide EVs. So thankfully, we have all the technologies in our hands, and we have the all the product lineup as well.”Cho took a cheeky swipe at rivals, too, rare for a senior executive. He said Kia’s strength globally is its range of cars available from the budget end, Picanto for example, through to hybrids, plug-ins, and more expensive performance cars or large electric SUVS.“So that's probably one of the strengths Kia has compared to other brands. I don't know whether you can name any other OEMs better than us in the case of the product line-up as of today.”

It is that time of the year again when car brands target a last flurry of sales before the end of the financial year. These deals often tell a story of what stock brands need to move, and in a time when electric vehicle sales are more important than ever there are some strong deals on show. Here is a look at some of the best ones going around in 2026.Kia is offering discounts across many of its models, with the most noticeable one being for its struggling Tasman ute. The range-topping X-Pro Tasman now starts from $64,990 (drive-away), equating to a more than $10,000 discount on before on-road costs pricing. The deal is available until the 30 June 2026. Kia’s strong-selling EV3 and EV5 have also picked up sizeable drive-away discounts ending 30 June 2026. The EV3 is available from $46,990 (drive-away), which equates to free on-road costs, as well as a further small discount.The EV5 has received an even more substantial discount, starting from $49,990 (drive-away), with it previously available from $56,770, before on-road costs. Hyundai has also put out some standout deals, especially on its electric range. But you'll need to move fast, with the offer ending on May 31, 2026.The brand’s Kona Electric range all have substantial discounts, with a starting price of $45,990 (drive-away).The recently-launched Elexio SUV is available from $57,990 (drive-away), with it previously on sale from $58,990, before on-road costs. The Ioniq 5 is another of Hyundai’s models being offered with a noticeable discount, starting from $71,990 (drive-away) until 31 May 2026. MG is currently offering discounts across its range to conclude the financial year, with all deals running until 30 June, 2026. One of the biggest deals offered by the brand is a $6000 cashback offer on plug-in hybrid variants of its mid-size HS SUV.Petrol and plug-less hybrids examples are available with a $3000 cashback offer, which is also available on the QS large SUV and the U9 ute. Additionally, these $3000 cashback deals include five years of free servicing on the vehicles. There are also minor conditional discounts on the ZS small SUV and MG3 hatch currently. BYD is offering $3000 cashback on several of its models in Australia for vehicles delivered by 30 June 2026. The Premium variant of the popular Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute gets the deal, and is now available from $54,900 (before on-road costs). Both variants of the Sealion 5 PHEV mid-size SUV, are also eligible, meaning it starts from $30,990 (before on-road costs). The Sealion 6 and Sealion 8 PHEV SUVs are available with the $3000 cashback offer. Chery is another brand to get in on the end of financial year deals. Its Tiggo 7 plug-in hybrid large SUV has discounts of $5000, now starting from $34,990 (drive-away). The hugely popular Tiggo 4 small hybrid SUV and Tiggo 8 plug-in hybrid large SUV are being offered with a $2000 factory bonus discount. Offers run until 30 June 2026.Ford has substantially reduced the price of its plug-in hybrid Ranger lineup, with it now starting from $62,000 (drive-away) down from $71,990 (before on-road costs) until 30 June 2026. This price cut brings it closer to the price of the rival BYD Shark 6, which retails from $57,900 (before on-road costs).Some variants of the diesel Ranger are also being offered with sharp drive-away deals. Toyota’s full-size Tundra hybrid ute has received a more than $10,000 discount for models from 2025 as part of a deal to remove on-road costs and add a cashback offer. This means the ute is now available from $145,990 (drive-away). The offer lasts until June 30 2026. 

Electric cars are finally having their moment. As petrol and diesel prices soar, it appears everyone on the fence about buying an electric vehicle (EV) have taken the plunge.Having steadily hovered around the 10 per cent total market share for the past 18 months, EVs accounted for more than 16 per cent in April. That means approximately one-in-six cars sold last month were battery-powered.But perhaps even more interesting than just the total number of EVs sold, was who was selling them. The days of Tesla dominating the electric market appear to be over, with several new names emerging as popular options for Australians.Here are five of the most in-demand EVs in 2026.BYD Sealion 7For all the hype around BYD’s Shark 6 ute and cut-price Atto 1, the real star for the brand is its mid-size SUV. The Sealion 7 isn’t just a popular EV, it’s also one of the most popular SUVs on the market and was the seventh best-selling vehicle in April.Sales are up 342.2% year-to-date, but it isn’t just a sudden surge in the wake of the fuel crisis. The Sealion 7 has been a popular choice almost since it arrived. It was the eighth most popular SUV in its segment in 2025, behind some of the biggest names in the market - Toyota RAV4, Mitsubishi Outlander, Kia Sportage and Subaru Forester.So regardless of what happens with fuel prices in the coming months, the Sealion 7 looks set to remain a popular choice for anyone looking for a mid-size SUV, electric or otherwise.Geely EX5 If there is a biggest winner of the current surge in EV sales it is the Geely’s EX5. Sales are up 415.4% year-to-date, peaking with 1202 in April alone. That’s up from an average of just 328 sales per month in 2025 and its jump demonstrates that it is genuine demand in EVs, not simply availability, that is driving this current boom. The EX5 was already one of the most affordable EVs on the market, starting at just $41,990, so if it was simply price and choice creating this sales increase in electric options there’s no reason it wouldn’t have started last year.Instead, Geely is taking advantage of its appealing price and benefiting as Australian buyers look for a way to beat the pain at the pump.Zeekr 7X While it doesn’t have the sheer volume of others on this list, selling only 2698 examples so far in 2026, the 7X is proving to be consistently popular while growing in sales.It’s not surprising that it isn’t selling in bigger volumes like the BYD and Geely, as it is positioned as a more premium offering with a starting price of $57,900  that stretches to $72,900 for the flagship Performance AWD model.But averaging nearly 675 sales per month to start 2026, with a spike of 973 sales in April, it’s clear that the 7X is an EV with a growing following.Kia EV3 You may have noticed a theme with the previously mentioned models, as the newer Chinese brands have claimed the role of EV leaders. But one of the established brands holding its own is Kia.Not all of its EVs are proving a sales hit, with the larger EV6 and EV9 still returning relatively modest sales numbers, but the smaller EV3 is doing well. Sales are up 150.2 per cent year-to-date, helping it become the most popular small electric SUV in its price range.The EV3 has garnered critical acclaim and has been slowly building a customer base, likely appealing to those looking to make the electric switch with a brand they know and trust.Sales of the larger EV5 are also up in 2026, but nowhere near to the same level, increasing only 28.7 per cent as it competes directly against the Sealion 7, EX5 and even the 7X.Toyota bZ4XCompared to the other cars on this list the total 2026 sales of just 1323 looks a bit poor, but when you consider how the bZ4X has performed previously it is having a breakout moment.Toyota’s first EV averaged less than 87 sales per month in 2025 but in 2026 it is averaging 330 sales per month so far; peaking at 483 sales in April.This is likely thanks to a renewed marketing push from Toyota, the RAV4 changeover and the high petrol prices leading Australian buyers to give it another look. How long this continues remains to be seen, but given the struggle Toyota has had with this model so far, this is a definite bright spot for the bZ4X.

Year-to-date registration data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC) show ‘electrified’ passenger and light commercial vehicles have crossed a significant tipping point to become a more popular choice than traditional diesel and purely petrol-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) options in Australia.To the end of April, sales of battery electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles stood at 50,976 units, a 79.2 per cent increase on the same four-month period in 2025 (28,448 units).At the same time, sales of ICE vehicles (including light commercials but not heavy trucks) have dropped 35.9 per cent from 64,991 in 2025 to 47,813 units this year.Tellingly, sales of pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have grown by just over 100 per cent, with key players BYD up 110.8 per cent (25,243 vs 11,974) and Tesla 49.9 per cent year-on-year (8485 vs 5660).Individual (higher volume) stand-out BEV models include the BYD Sealion 7 and Dolphin, Geely EX5, Kia EV3, Tesla Model Y and Toyota bZ4X.And when it comes to hybrids, thanks to better supply of the new-generation version, the ever-popular Toyota RAV4 has come up to its more usual monthly sales rate and has been joined by its big-brother LandCruiser 300 Hybrid.Add in other relatively recent hybrid arrivals like the Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid joining now established disrupters like the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha and hybrid sales are set to expand even further. Clearly, April 2026 marked a historical moment in time for the Aussie new vehicle market.

Kia has made a concerted effort to introduce electrified options to its line-up over the last few years. The brand has five fully electric models on sale in Australia, along with plug-less and plug-in hybrid family SUVs. This has seen Kia’s electric vehicle sales skyrocket, particularly in the last few weeks, with increased popularity for non-fuel-powered models.Subsequently, Kia’s sales split is now 70 per cent electrified (40% EV and 30% hybrid), with the remaining 30 per cent made up of pure petrol or diesel units. A primary driver of Kia’s electric shift has been the future impacts of the Australian federal government's National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES). Under the scheme, vehicles sold which have an interim emissions value above zero incur a liability, while those which are zero or less, earn the brand a credit.According to Kia Australia Chief Executive Officer Damien Meredith, NVES is an important part of the brand’s thinking on which cars to bring Down Under.“The government is going to stick to what they’ve put in place and it becomes part of the product planning decision,” Meredith told CarsGuide. “If you’ve got an EV range, you’re looking towards the future. “If you haven’t got an EV range, you’re catering to the customers' needs right now. “It’s one of the variables when we’re making decisions, put it like that.”The result of this EV focus for Kia is that it accumulated more than 720,000 units for the 2025 NVES performance period, the second-most of any brand, trailing only BYD.Meredith said Kia has no plans to sell its credits, banking them for a later time.The key to this success has been the combined performance of the EV3 and EV5 SUVs, which have continued to prove popular in 2026, with more than 2000 sales so far. Kia’s NVES approach has not been shared by some brands, such as Ford, which has been defiant in light of potential future penalties. Ford CEO Jim Farley said a market made up of vehicles being manufactured to meet NVES regulations is not sustainable, threatening to cut local engineering jobs. Ford is yet to feel the effects of future NVES liabilities, with key sales contributors such as the diesel Ranger ute being considered a ‘Type 2’ vehicle. Mazda is one brand which has been handed down a substantial amount of liabilities. More than 500,000, which is the most by some margin, given its high-volume petrol-based line-up.

One of the best-selling brands has just declared the car market has changed for good.Since the Iran war and the intermittent access to the Strait of Hormuz, the price of fuel, particularly in Australia, has skyrocketed.It has coincided with substantial increases in the purchase of electrified vehicles, arguably accelerating the transition towards an EV future.Hyundai, sister brand of Kia, has reported a 158 per cent supply increase for EVs in the second quarter of 2026, describing demand at an "unprecedented level”.Chinese brand Chery has also seen its electrified sales climb to around 70 per cent of all vehicles it sells. Kia is another brand reporting large EV sales increases, with a split of 40 per cent all-electric, 30 per cent hybrid and 30 per cent pure combustion. The brand's EV3 and EV5 SUVs have been the main cars boosting electric sales.There were nearly 16,000 electric vehicles sales in March 2026, almost double the same month last year. And pure-petrol sales continue to decline at an even faster rate than diesel.A key question surrounding this EV sales bump is whether heightened EV uptake will continue at the same rate, even after fuel prices decrease.This is a pertinent point given electric vehicles remain more expensive to purchase than petrol rivals.Kia Australia Chief Executive Officer Damien Meredith said the change to the car market since mid-March may be structural.“Yes, I think it's going to be somewhere between 30 and 40 per cent ,” Meredith told CarsGuide. “We measure it very closely, but it’s bouncing around a little bit. “I think certainly we’re not going back to their 8, 12 per cent share of the market. “That’s now above 20 per cent, but it could be above 30 per cent, so I think even if it went to 25 per cent that structural change is massive," he said.It is not just fuel prices which are driving an accelerated EV surge, with policy factors also contributing. Results for the 2025 performance period of the National Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) were released earlier this year.It saw several brands receive hefty liabilities, which will turn into fines if they don’t meet their interim emissions value targets by next year.Electric vehicles have an interim emissions value of zero, meaning brands incur credits as opposed to liabilities on units sold.

Electric vehicle sales are booming in a way they never have before in Australia. Buyer options have increased significantly in 2026, with more affordable choices also appearing more regularly. There were 15839 electric vehicle sales for March in 2026, up from 8385 compared to this time last year, representing a near 89 per cent year-on-year growth. Established SUV players such as the Tesla Model Y lead the way with 2818 sales, along with the BYD Sealion 7 (1970). There are also some new competitors climbing up the sales charts, such as the Zeekr 7X performance SUV, which managed 679 registrations for March, having launched late last year.The Tesla Model 3 sedan (667) continues to be present among the top sellers despite its prolonged downturn.The SUV trend continues as Geely’s EX5 (606) and the Kia EV5 (587) are next on the list, before BYD’s presence resumes with the Atto 2 small SUV (572). Another new EV making an early impression is the Jaecoo J5, which launched at the start of this year and achieved 569 sales last month. The BYD Atto 1 (488) and Atto 2 (466) also make the list along with the Kia EV3 (461). Hatchbacks are proving popular amongst EV buyers as well. The MG4 (451) remains among the strongest selling EVs, as does the BYD Dolphin (373). The Toyota bZ4X is also experiencing an upturn to 447 sales for March and BYD is represented again with its Seal sedan (337) to round out the top 15. Top selling electric cars Australia March 2026

Will the current war in Iran mean a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles? My view is no, it won’t directly cause a ban on combustion cars. But the ban is still coming and the Middle East conflict will fastrack it. For starters a date has already been set for ban on petrol and diesel cars in the United Kingdom, where from 2030 sales of new vehicles with combustion engines will cease. The European Union has a 2035 ban but previous to the Iran war this was watered down.China, which in February was our main source of vehicles, is also focused on building and developing electric cars.As for Australia, only the ACT has set a goal of phasing out the sale of new combustion powered cars by 2035.That could all change now and by this I mean be fastracked.Until now the reasons for switching to electric vehicles were mainly ethical and environmental, with emissions and cleaner air being the carrot. The problem is nobody really  wants to eat a carrot, even if it’s good for us. But faced with the prospect of not eating at all because the weekly fuel bill for two cars is now $300 and the price of groceries is going up because of the soaring cost of transport, that really changes things.Interest in electric vehicles has never been this strong. We can see it in real time by the traffic coming to carsguide.com.au and we know our competitors are witnessing the sharpening of this focus on EVs, too.Towards the start of 2025 there had been a slow down in global interest in EVs and a renewed take up of hybrids. The price premiums attached to electric cars, the limited driving range and lengthy charging times were to blame, but all things early adopters, and even slightly later ones, were willing to endure. The rest of the car buyers were too put off by the downsides of EVs and stuck with the convenience and familiarity of petrol or perhaps bought a hybrid. But now the price of convenience appears to be reaching a point where suddenly an EV sounds like a good idea. At the time of writing 95 RON premium unleaded was $2.70 per litre. An increase of about $1 per litre or 60 per cent in the space of a month. The prohibitive cost now of petrol combined with the looming threat of Australia running out of it in less than three weeks, plus reports of servicing stations already running dry now make an electric car suddenly seem like not such a bad idea after all, even to the most hardcore fans of fossil fuels.The problem is bigger than just consumers not being able to afford petrol, it’s the soaring cost of goods, which are distributed through Australia’s enormous freight network that relies on diesel.The Australian government is responsible for setting such low minimum fuel reserves all in the name of a free market. The current situation could see it either mandate that the industry maintain a higher level or reduce the risk entirely of being held hostage like this again and ban petrol and diesel car sales in favour of electric ones, which can be powered by a fuel we can produce ourselves.The second option wouldn’t be the choice of the $6 trillion-a-year global oil and gas industry. And an industry that’s worth that much has enormous sway.But then the collapse of entire economies wouldn’t be the choice of most governments.Decoupling from oil and gas is impossible in less than 50 or even 100 years. Whether we like it or not the industry pervades every part of our lives. Killing the industry would also see the collapse of entire economies.Plenty of car companies are ready for electric vehicles, especially new Chinese brands, but for many vehicle manufacturers EVs are a side hustle.This scenario play into the hands of new electric brands such as Zeekr with the 7X mid-szied SUV, BYD with the Sealion 7 SUV and even the established Koreans such as Kia with the EV3 small SUV.Does it mean the end of diesel SUVs such as the LandCruiser? Possibly, unless Toyota has an electric version up its sleeve ready to be pulled out in the next 10 years.So what you'll probably see is the EU and UK setting new firm deadlines for the discontinuation of sales for new cars with combustion engines at about 2035 or sooner. Australia will likely follow suit.Industry, freight and agriculture will be exempt until hydrogen infrastructure is in place and that will take much longer.What we may see in the short term is a temporary ban on the use of petrol and diesel passenger cars in order to preserve fuel stock for industry, freight and vital services such as emergency vehicles. That’s a real possibility if the war moves into an uncontrolled phase.So while the permanent ban of new petrol and diesel cars won’t be directly caused by the Iran war, it will be a catalyst for the ban. In the meantime, it’s probably wise anyway to purchase an EV anyway and provide a bit of security and future proofing for your own household, not to mention saving thousands in fuel bills each year.

It comes down to this. Seven category winners, seven exceptional cars. But only one can take the crown of CarsGuide’s 2026 overall Car of the Year.The final shortlist for the overall Car of the Year award is made up of the winners of each of our seven categories.This impressive list includes high-end performance SUVs from Germany, new contenders from China, a game-changing ute, family friendly hybrids and top-notch EVs.As a reminder, here are the category winners that make up this final shortlist.Best Small Car Starting Under $50,000 - Kia EV3The Kia EV3 proves small EVs don’t have to be boring. A striking design combined with an engaging drive experience, visually appealing and surprisingly spacious cabin and high levels of standard equipment make for a winning package.Best Small Car Starting Under $80,000 - BMW X1It might not be the newest model on this list, but punchy petrol powertrains and a well-calibrated electric version elevate the BMW X1 above all of its premium small car rivals.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $60,000 - Zeekr 7XThe newest car on this list, the long-awaited Zeekr 7X is a deeply impressive electric family SUV in all grades and proves Zeekr means business.Best Medium SUV Starting Under $130,000 - Hyundai Ioniq 5Perhaps a surprising win against some impressive premium players, but the Hyundai Ioniq 5 deserves this award as it remains one of the most impressive electric medium SUVs money can buy.Best Large SUV Starting Under $100,000 - Hyundai Santa FeA massive step up from the previous model, the new Hyundai Santa Fe has a bold design and a spacious and flexible interior with the choice of two excellent powertrains.Best Large SUV Starting Under $220,000 - Porsche CayenneOutpacing a range of mostly German rivals, the Porsche Cayenne has the performance and prestige to make it the clear standout in the category.Best Ute Under $85,000 - BYD Shark 6A truly game-changing ute, the BYD Shark 6 has brought plug-in hybrid power to the masses in a big way.Such a solid list of winners means the car that took the crown is a special vehicle indeed.Without further ado, the winner of CarsGuide’s overall 2026 Car of the Year award is… the Hyundai Santa Fe!The Santa Fe won over the CarsGuide Car of the Year judges for a variety of reasons.The six- or seven-seat large SUV is hard to fault. It’s a phenomenal family car with acres of occupant space across all three rows and decent cargo space as well. There’s also enough to keep kids occupied in the rear two rows while offering high levels of comfort and refinement up front.Interior design and layout is modern, with a retro twist, and the materials used throughout are second to none. Hyundai has used eye-catching seat materials, while the various touchpoints look and feel like they belong in the premium segment.A Santa Fe highlight is the fact that even the entry grade (simply called ‘Santa Fe’) feels nothing like a base model. In fact, it feels more high-end than top-spec versions of many of its rivals.The availability of two excellent powertrains further boosts the Santa Fe. The 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid is not just the best choice for efficiency and refinement, it’s also a punchy, engaging engine. But the 2.5L four-cylinder turbo-petrol version is also an absolute hoot.Both are available in front and all-wheel drive, and they come with a full-size spare wheel. Not something every hybrid can claim.Value for money was also a one of the Santa Fe’s biggest strengths. Pricing ranges from around $54,000 for the entry petrol grade and it tops out at $77,000 for the fully kitted out Calligraphy hybrid. Even at the entry point, the Sant Fe is packed with comfort and safety features.Finally, while its exterior design is undoubtedly polarising, the judges agree that it’s a standout among a largely vanilla bunch of family SUV rivals.Not only is the Hyundai Santa Fe CarsGuide’s top pick for a family car in 2026, but we reckon it’s the best car money can buy.A well deserved win for a brilliantly executed car.