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Korean brand Kia is on a product offensive, renewing a whole host of models with mid-life facelifts like Picanto, Carnival and Sorento, through to next-gen models and a spread of all-new EV nameplates.
There are some casualties, however, with Aussie favourites such as the Stinger and the break-out Rio confirmed to bow out.
Right now, there are precious few Kia models in the juicy middle part of their life spans. Only the Stonic, Seltos, Sportage, and Niro are being spared from conjecture at the moment (though a hybrid is on the way for Sportage) with each model sitting pretty and selling strong in their respective segments.
Wondering what Kia’s future holds? There's a lot to get through – read on to find out…
JUMP AHEAD
All-new models
Current models
On shaky ground
Kia Tasman ute
Kia Australia trademarked the name ‘Tasman’ in June and has since confirmed that a ute is in development, with ambitions to capture 10 per cent of Australia’s burgeoning ute market – or about 20,000 units per year.
We’ve spied and rendered the Tasman, and local head honcho Damien Meredith said the ute is between 24-36 months away in June 2023.
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Kia's upcoming ute | Speculative rendering, Wheels Media
The brand promises its light commercial vehicle will have the cajones to take on the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux at their own game, which should see it offered in various body styles, including the popular dual-cab spec.
What else? Think body-on-frame, 3500kg towing capacity, and a 1000kg payload. We suspect a diesel mill will feature, but don’t be shocked to see hybrid power offered.
Kia EV5
This midsize electric SUV is locked in for a launch next year and, if the EV9 is anything to go by, it will probably arrive in market with almost entirely unchanged sheet metal from the concept you see here.
This is the first of Kia’s affordable electric options that promise to somewhat democratise the brand’s EVs. It will be built for the Australian market in China and sit on a version of Kia's existing E-GMP architecture.
Reports thus far have suggested the EV5, with a driving range of 450-530km, will use LFP battery chemistry resulting in slower 10-80 per cent rapid charge times (around 27-25 minutes) than Kia’s existing models (18 minutes) – though this does bode well for affordability.
Kia EV3 and EV4
Moving down the numbers, the EV4 (above) is a sedan for the new age and the EV3 (below) is a small SUV, with both rocking compact proportions and eyes set on global markets.
Details are scarcer than with the near-production EV5 and we’re expecting each to launch in 2025 on Kia’s optimistic rollout of 14 new electric vehicles by 2027.
Both vehicles are likely to move onto Kia’s new affordable ‘eM’ architecture to cut costs – the EV4 is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model 3 and the EV3 likely at the MG 4. Both also promise clever artificial intelligence technology including a 'natural' chatbot inside.
Kia EV9
The upper-large SUV has arrived! This is the first EV to offer seating for seven in comfort.
It’s also the most expensive Kia ever, with prices starting at $97,000 and running up to $121,000. The EV9 rides on the same 800V E-GMP platform you’ll find under the EV6 with WLTP driving ranges spanning from 443km (Air RWD) to 512km (Earth AWD).
Kia dealers are making deliveries of the upper-large EV9 now and, as it has this class to itself right now, Kia will be expecting to sell all 100 examples it’s confirmed to get each month.
Kia Sorento
Still triumphant in group tests in pre-update guise, the Sorento is one of the best seven-seaters you can buy – and it’ll only get better with this imminent facelift.
With an updated front clip inspired by the EV9 and Telluride, new wheels and taillights outside, it’s within where the Sorento gets the biggest upgrade. Finer leather quality, bigger screens, more connected technology and greater colour choice (in some markets).
The new car will carry over existing petrol V6, 2.2-litre turbo-diesel and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains and potentially pack an off-road focused 'X-Pro' trim level.
January 25: New-look Sorento driven in Australia
JUMP AROUND
Kia Picanto
Sitting at the opposite end of Kia’s size spectrum, the updated Picanto is also due to arrive before the end of 2023 – though without the enthusiast-focused 1.0-litre turbo-petrol GT model.
Again, it’s an EV9-inspired front clip that visually updates the light hatch with a full-width lighting feature – the treatment is surprisingly effective. Just like the Sorento, it will use Kia’s latest technology with smartphone telematics and over-the-air software updates.
The Picanto’s interior is otherwise largely unchanged, keeping familiar architecture. Updated materials and faster USB-C charging ports do, however, feature.
Kia Carnival
Refreshed with an EV9-style Tiger Nose grille about three years after this fourth-gen model’s launch in 2020… starting to get the picture?
Inside, the Carnival’s renewed swagger is communicated by big, fresh 12.3-inch screens integrated into a single curved display. The connected ‘ccNC’ infotainment system promises wireless smartphone mirroring, smartphone control and other goodies.
As for physical changes, Kia has promised higher-quality dampers from Korea’s ‘High Limousine’ variant and extra sound deadening. In Korea, a 183kW/367Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol hybrid powertrain with a claimed fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km is offered. There’s no word on Australian engine specs yet, but the local arm is keen to offer a hybrid Carnival.
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 (2022 Wheels Car Of The Year) only seems to have one problem: Kia's inability to get enough stock to satiate customer demand.
Of course, there are a few more nitpicky isuues than that, with the EV6 lacking truly connected cabin technology and still conforming to Kia’s early interpretation of the Opposites United design language. A facelift is expected to launch locally in 2025 though there have been precious few spy shots of the electric large SUV so far.
A video by Korean Youtuber Woopa TV shows a camouflaged 2025 EV6 in a multi-storey car park with diagonal split headlights and DRLs similar to the Citroen C5 X and a long way from the EV9’s ‘digital tiger nose’ – there’s plenty more info to come, we’re sure.
Kia Stinger
Hailed as the second coming of the Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo and Holden Commodore SS, the Stinger’s appeal only grew across its lifetime.
The liftback has now disappeared from Kia’s configurator and global production is coming to a halt with no combustion-engined replacement in sight. It’ll be up to the EV4 to fill this hole.
Kia Rio
Spruiked by some of the cheesiest ad campaigns to grace early noughties TV screens, the current-gen Rio is finally a grown-up alternative to the Volkswagen Polo and Mazda 2.
Yet its future – at least locally – is in doubt. Earlier this year Kia unveiled the ASEAN-focused K3 which will replace the Rio in markets outside Australia. When the current-gen comes to its end (likely in late 2024 or early 2025) it’s unclear how it’ll be replaced – the same goes for the Rio’s Stonic SUV relation.
Kia Cerato
Spy shots suggest a new model of the Ceratos size and shape is due in 2025 but the question remains as to whether it’ll carry the Cerato nametag.
With the Rio replacement copping ‘K3’ as its global name, the Cerato is likely to take the K4 name and sit below the K5 (Optima) that’s no longer sold in Australia. Expect a certain amount of electrification in the next-gen model, but no BEV powertrain.
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