Kia Reviews

With affordable EVs some time away, car makers are busy trying to fill the void with hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs).HEVs bridge the gap between internal combustion engine vehicles, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and full-blown EVs.The Kia Sorento HEV GT-Line AWD is part of a new HEV wave that offers refinement, plenty of features, and impressive fuel consumption in an attractive package.

The Kia Stonic Sport has made quite an impression since its Australian launch last year. It's pint-sized but packs quite a bit in for the price tag. You get a sporty look, good safety features and a fair amount of tech, but it's the ownership options that makes the car stand out. Let's take a look and see if the cheaper price tag means it misses out compared to its rivals.

After five months and nearly 4500km, what did we make of the Niro? Is the PHEV the best and most underrated version?

The Kia Stinger has only been around since 2017 but it's made an impact in the heavy-hitting sportback market for good reason. Australians have a strong history with high octane sedans. You were either a Holden or Ford family, not both. However, the Stinger was never meant to compete with our 'Aussie muscle' and is pitted against European thoroughbreds. Is the Stinger still holding its own?

Kia Niro PHEV practicality and electric range tested!

The Kia Niro is back, with the Korean brand sharpening the line-up to just two models (hybrid and electric), upping the cabin tech and delivering genuinely peaceful drive experience. But there's a price hurdle here. Can the Kia Niro clear it? We put it to the test to find out.

The Niro Hybrid version comes in S or GT-Line trims, and it will set you back $44,380 or $50,030 respectively. And yes, you can buy a lot of RAV4 Hybrid for that money, should you be lucky enough to actually get one.The range starts with the Hybrid S, which gets cloth and artificial seat trim, LED DRL’s and LED rear taillights (but halogen headlights), a 4.2-inch digital driver display and and 8.0-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a six-speaker stereo. You also get dual-zone climate, 16-inch alloys and electric mirrors and windows.Stepping up to the Hybrid GT-Line adds a whole bunch of nice stuff, including twin 10.25-inch screens (one for the driver, the other for infotainment), bigger 18-inch alloys, perforated bio-leather seats, LED headlights, a better steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats.The Hybrid is pretty conventional, pairing a 1.6-litre engine with a 1.32kwH battery and electric motor for a combined output of 104kW and 265Nm. It gets a six-speed DCT auto and front-wheel drive. A sprint to 100km/h is pretty leisurely, taking more than 10 seconds.

The Kia Niro Full Electric model is available in S or GT-Line, and it’s priced at $65,300 or $72,100. For reference, the brand’s flagship electric vehicle, the EV6, can be yours (for now, at least) for around $2.5k more for the Air or for the GT-Line in RWD version respectively.The Full Electric trim levels largely match the hybrid’s specifications, except both ride on 17-inch alloys, and even the S model gets the twin-screen infotainment set-up, The All Electric GT-Line also gets a better eight-speaker stereo, a sunroof, and what the brand calls a Premium Relaxation Front Passenger Seat — which tilts back so you can get comfy while charging.It gets a big 64.8kWh battery and a front-mounted motor that produces 150kW and 255Nm, the latter of which arrives instantaneously, helping drop the sprint to 100km/h to just 7.8secs - and that’s despite carrying almost half a tonne of battery with you.Kia reckons the Niro EV will deliver 460kms in driving range when fully charged. And when it does come time to plug in, a 7kW Wall Box at home will take nine hours and 25 minutes to go from empty to full, or a 100kW DC charger (also the charging max), will take 45 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent.

This has been my second month with the Niro and I think I'm starting to get into the PHEV groove.

The Kia Sportage is one of the most renowned names in the midsize SUV semgent, and this new-generation makes a mark of its own when it comes to its appearance and the fact it is bigger in every direction. But is the GT-Line petrol AWD model a good option for your family? Matt Campbell is living with it for a few months to find out.