Best Kia SUVs / 4WDs

After recently spending over $42K to purchase a Kia Sportage I was very bitterly disappointed to discover that a hardcopy version of the owners… Read more

manual was not supplied! How ridiculous to expect customers to use their electronic devices to access important information needed when familiarising yourself with a new car! For instance waiting at traffic lights and a warning light illuminates on the dash. You can't pick up your phone to determine what it means can you? I have incurred extra expense in having a hardcopy printed and bound for my own reference and had I known this fact prior to deciding between 2 differing cars I would have chosen the other vehicle and will probably not consider Kia for my next new car purchase.

Just purchased 2026 sorento S. My main grip is NO USB ports in 2nd or 3rd row, there is a 12 volt station there. How out dated is this. I will have… Read more

my grsndkids in the car at times and will have to purchase something so they can charge phones. To people with kids this could be a Deal breaker. Kia get your act together and port these ports in. For $60,000 i would expect them. Hope the car goes ok.

I would like to Thank David Daniel and his manager at Ferntree Gully Kia their service was above and beyond. I rang to enquire if the car we were… Read more

interested in could be brought to our house, they went to the trouble getting from their holding yard and delivered for my wife to test drive. Today we took delivery such a smooth process. If looking to purchase new Kia give them a call you won’t be disappointed. 0397531888.

Overall, I enjoyed the acceleration, drive. It has excellent suspension. The visibility from inside at times is limited. I found the following points… Read more

anoying with this car:

1. Interior Console Glare The surface around the gear selector is highly reflective and produces significant glare in bright sunlight.

2. Electrical Lockout Issue The vehicle’s electrical system sporadically locks the ignition, preventing startup. Screenshots of the dashboard notification are available upon request.

3. Tight-Space Maneuverability The turning circle is too wide, making it difficult to steer in confined parking areas. I’m happy to provide additional details if needed.

4. Audio System Quality The sound system lacks clarity and definition, likely due to the use of lower-grade speakers

I purchased a 3/4-year-old KIA about 10 months ago. I have had nothing but issues with it but so far KIA has been nothing short of a disappointment.… Read more

Slow to reply via online contact... I have to keep calling and be put on hold for long period of time.... their dealerships advising they have no one to assess the car and Oakleigh, Springvale and Southland all claiming that it would be weeks for a booking. The Alternators have failed... 3/4-year-old! and the car is not safe to drive.... but I think KIA's after market is pathetic.... not interested in rectifying a warranty issue telling me that this issue might not be a warranty repair... $300+ to simply assess the car... and their recording expects staff to be treated with respect... one wonders why they have to remind customers to be nice to their people... respect goes both ways. I will now refer the matter to Consumer Affairs Victoria...and if there are people out there with same poor service, I would suggest you also reach out to Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs in your state or territory. I have also lodge a complaint with the ACCC.. They monitor businesses misbehaving and look at trends... KIA telling me that this is not a warranty repair might constitute misleading and/or deceptive conduct under the ACL... although the ACCC will not release any correspondence with KIA (if any is made). I am hoping to hear from Fair Trading soon.. because it is not on for such big businesses to rip off the Australian public and get away with it. Think twice before buying a KIA... Not worth the effort! 24/04- I have now heard from Fair Trading, ACCC and and a third contact... this one I will action later on. I will keep those who have or are facing similar issues up to date.

Great EV but just a little too expensive – The Kia Niro GT-Line brings in higher quality feeling materials, like better seat materials than the entry level Niro and elevated different interior… Read more

trim materials.

Over bumps and uneven roads, the Niro never generated a squeak that sounded out of place.

Priced from $72,100 before on-road costs and incentives, this electric Kia is slightly more affordable than the EV6.

It boasts 460km of WLTP range; that’s a competitive range against similarly priced cars. Although, if you can sacrifice the SUV body shape, you’ll get better value in a sedan shape offered by Tesla and Polestar.

If you don’t need that much range, the MG ZS EV will provide the electric SUV experience for nearly $30,000 less.

This electric Kia comes with a 7 year/unlimited kilometre warranty, and high voltage parts are covered by a 7 year warranty, but only up to 150,000km.

Over seven years, the Niro EV will only cost you $1754 to service over 7 yearly services, or every 15,000km. That’s a whole lot less than the hybrid alternatives.

Noise isolation felt superior, particularly thanks to the fact there was no petrol motor onboard.

The upgraded speaker system in the Niro GT-Line helped increase cabin isolation and immersion, and the upgrade is absolutely worth it.

There was some noticeable electric motor noise under heavy acceleration, but nothing out of the ordinary. If you’re looking for a silent daily driver, the Niro is an excellent introduction into electric car ownership.

Adjustable regenerative braking is available via the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. You can coast, use one-pedal driving mode, or simply hold a paddle to let the car decide for you in Auto mode.

I loved the one-pedal driving experience here, making it just a little easier to live with when driving around town. Trust me, you feel like you’re taking a step back when you drive a car without the ability to brake once you lift off the throttle.

Don’t expect a rival to a Tesla or a Polestar when it comes to acceleration. There’s no ludicrous mode, but there is a Sport mode.

The electric motor is found between the front wheels, making the Niro EV exclusively front-wheel drive. This motor produces 150kW (201hp) and 255Nm, allowing this family SUV to hurdle to 100km/h in 7.8 seconds.

That instant torque feels a lot faster than a petrol equivalent with the same specifications.

I really enjoyed the look and feel of the rotary shift dial in the Niro EV, however that’s about it.

The lower centre of gravity helps the Niro EV corner a whole lot better than its petrol-powered counterparts.

I found that it was extremely entertaining in corners, and composed when daily driving in the city. The extra weight can make the Niro feel like a more substantial car, but it also will cause the car to ‘crash’ harder on potholes and harsh speed bumps.

The only issue I found when handling was the instant torque to the front wheels. If it’s particularly slippery, and if you give it too much throttle mid-corner, those front wheels will squeal. This is a reason why I prefer rear-wheel drive electric cars.

Kia claims 16.2kWh per 100km of driving. You’ll achieve that in bumper to bumper traffic and on small highway stints. However, I found it closer to 19kWh per 100km in my combined tests. And as mentioned, there’s a claimed 460km of electric range when at 100% charge.

I found the real world range to be just above 400km per charge. It’s not as fast charging as the Kia EV6, which is capable of receiving 350kW of DC charge. The Kia Niro will only accept up to 80kW of DC charge, meaning charging from 0 to 80% will take 45 minutes from a 100kW charger. That’s a little slow considering the rest of Kia and Hyundai’s electric cars are adopting faster charging batteries.

Clearly inspired by the Kia EV6, the Niro’s interior brings all the right features and design cues to fix what was a very bland interior.

I especially love the seat design, steering wheel, centre console design and the curved displays that all help to make the Niro feel just like an EV should: futuristic.

There’s 475L of boot space in the Niro EV, with an additional 20L found in the front boot, AKA the froot or the frunk.

You’re considering this because the idea of a small SUV is the most appealing for you. You want a little extra range, warranty and features, and that’s why you’re looking at this Niro EV compared to something like a MG ZS EV or a BYD ATTO 3.

You’ve got stiff competition from Hyundai with the Kona EV, which has a brand new update coming soon that’ll make Kia shake in their tyres.

If you don’t need a lifted car like this crossover, I’d suggest buying a Tesla Model 3 or a Polestar 2 because of their superior battery technology and slightly better driving experience for less money.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.