Sedan News

BMW has piled on extra performance, technology and standard specification in a model year upgrade of its M3 performance sedan and M3 Touring wagon.

Kia’s next electric car has had its production start date delayed to March 2025, but it has been spied by Shorts Car in Korea ahead of its official release. The heavily camouflaged EV4 liftback looks an awful lot like the concept shown off by Kia in October 2023 – that’s nothing new for the design-forward Korean brand. It’s difficult to see any details of the body’s flanks but poking through is a twin rear spoiler, vertical LED lighting details at the rear and a dramatically sloping roofline. The liftback barely has a horizontal boot surface and is almost EV6-like. The unique aero alloy wheels with a tri-spoke polished face appear as though they may make production, too. The EV4 will be longer than the just-revealed EV3 but a little smaller overall than the EV5. Much like those two products, the Kia EV4 is pitched as a more affordable electric car for Kia. That means it will almost certainly use Kia’s front-wheel drive E-GMP variant with 400-volt architecture and smaller battery sizes than the flagship EV6 and EV9.The EV3 packs an 81.4kWh NCM battery in long range trim and a 58.3kWh battery in the standard range.Given it will share many parts with the EV3 and EV5, vehicles coming to Australia could be built in China and utilise more affordable and stable Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry as the EV5 will for local consumption. Kia Executive Vice President Woo Jeong Joo put a lot of pressure on the brand’s electric cars succeeding back in January.  “Electric vehicles are the biggest influence on Kia’s sales and profits. We plan to flexibly respond to market changes in the medium to long term,” he said.“The EV3, EV4, and EV5 will be launched sequentially, and we are determined to make these three models successful.”  Details like price are yet to be announced, however the Kia EV3’s starting price in its home market is 39.95 million won, equivalent to $43,200 here. An EV4 would be a little more expensive but could still start around the $50K mark.When production beings in 2025, the EV4 could be a very unique proposition as the only ‘small’ electric sedan. With the electric mid-size sedan segment proving popular here with the circa 4.8m-long BYD Seal and Tesla Model 3, the EV4 could be set for success. CarsGuide has contacted Kia Australia for further information. We will know more closer to the EV4’s full release expected for the first half of 2025. 

The new 2025 BMW M5 is coming to Australia and, even though it’s gone hybrid, it still has eight cylinders under the bonnet.

Petrol cars are making a comeback in Europe as electric sales fall taking Teslas Model Y down

The cost of electric cars is coming down at last and it’s happening fast, too, with big brands slashing prices.

Audi’s updated electric performance car has some staggering figures.Recent work on the bold-looking e-tron GT sedan has boosted power across the board, and the RS Performance variant is now the brand’s most powerful car to date.The technical tweaks mean the e-tron GT RS Performance now makes 680kW or 912 horses. Audi hasn’t quoted torque figures but expect them to be mammoth.The e-tron GT RS Performance’s dual electric motors produce more oomph than the brand’s legendary twin-turbo V8 and V10 motors found in cars past and present.All that performance means the top-tier EV can sprint from 0-100km/h in a supercar slaying 2.5 seconds.On top of this Audi has upped the charging rate for the e-tron GT. It can now peak at 320kW, up from 270kW in the first edition. Audi said the car can now maintain a charging speed of more than 280kW up to about 70 per cent of charge, which will quicken the time it takes to top up further.The German brand has also managed to make the car slightly lighter and increase its energy density.The regenerative braking has been beefed up too, and can now feed more energy back into the battery.New air suspension should improve the car’s ride by ironing out bumps and road imperfections better and reducing any lean through corners.Audi has capped off the update with a raft of cosmetic changes.This includes a new front grille, headlight design and fresh alloy wheels.Inside the changes are highlighted by redesigned sports seats, new wooden inlays and steering wheel.The carpeting and floor mats are made of 100 per cent recycled nylon fibres and there is extensive use of synthetic suede and leather throughout.Audi has also added new readout and graphics to the digital driver display. The panoramic sunroof can go from opaque to clear at the touch of a button thanks to  a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal technology.

One of the most affordable and popular seven-seat family SUVs available in Australia is about to be pulled from the market.

BYD has announced a run-out special on 2023 year model Seal sedans.Those ordering a Seal Premium ($58,798) or Performance ($68,748) with standard paint and interior combination for personal use will only pay the list price with drive-away charges included. This saving for the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 rival equates to between $535 (ACT) up to $3708 (Vic). Those in WA will pay a little more owing to government charges, at $60,798 for the Premium and $70,748 for the Performance. The savings apply to non-business purchases of Seal sedans – including if you already have an order in but haven't taken delivery – between June 7 and 30.The single motor Seal Premium has a rear mounted 230kW/360Nm electric motor and 82.56kWh ‘Blade’ LFP battery pack for 570km driving range. It also gets 19-inch, LED headlights, a 15.6-inch multimedia screen, ‘genuine’ leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, keyless entry and push-button start. Moving up to the Performance doubles the motor count bringing outputs 390kW and 670Nm while range drops back to 520km. The latest offer hasn’t drastically changed the Seal’s place in the market, it was already well below the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Polestar 2 for price. It still undercuts Tesla’s Model 3 sedan ($64,500 before on-road costs for the 629km Long Range) despite that car's significant cuts. BYD’s end of financial year offer follows its deal on Atto 3 small SUV demonstrators announced earlier this year. Big name rivals including Tesla and Polestar have jumped on the discount program either slashing prices wholesale or offering retail deals. Smaller players, including Renault, Peugeot and Nissan have also slashed prices on selected models to move stock. 

A quick look at your local supermarket car park reveals that Chinese automotive brands have well and truly become mainstream in Australia.

Hyundai Australia has moved to change its sales process for its Ioniq electric cars, resulting in small pricing increases for both models.The Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 were previously sold through online retail, rather than via dealerships as with the rest of t