Photo: Kia
That's a refreshing situation - while many vehicles gladly switch to RHD for the Australian market, the MSRPS are not as easy to swallow. Not this time around, though, as pricing is almost on par with the American option.
Kia is enjoying a wave of popularity on the EV front because its EV9 family-oriented three-row crossover SUV is not only positively compared to the bulky 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EVs (both R/T and Scat Pack are apparently about the same weight as a fully-optioned EV9) but it also recently garnered a major accolade – the Women's World Car of the Year. However, if you don't trust EVs just yet to their full extent or don't need the big CUV for your family duties, there's still a way to be more sustainable than the average.
For example, you could opt for a smaller Niro EV or EV6. If not, there's an entire array of both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options in Kia's lineup, like the Niro Hybrid and PHEV, Sportage Hybrid and PHEV, and Sorento Hybrid and PHEV. Of course, not all of them are available everywhere. For example, unlike America, Australia didn't have access to the Sorento Hybrid compact crossover SUV. Well, that oversight ends now as Kia Australia was recently "pleased to confirm the Sportage Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is arriving in dealerships."
Usually, when these models change from LHD to RHD, some penalties reflect generally higher prices than in the United States. Well, luckily, Kia is keeping the Sportage HEV affordable and will offer it in two grades - SX FWD Auto and GT-Line FWD Auto – starting from AUD45,950, which translates to $30,406 at the current exchange rate. That compares favorably with the $28,590 starting MSRP of the American-spec Sportage Hybrid. Sure, there are a couple thousand dollars between them, but in the US, the model starts with the LX trim, followed by EX at $32,290 and SX Prestige at $37,490.
In Australia, there's also a flagship GT-Line, which kicks off at AUD55,420, which is the equivalent of $36,635. On the other hand, customers do have the option to add AWD on LX models in America, while the EX and SX Prestige come with the Active AWD with center-locking differential as a standard perk. As always, you win some, then lose some. Speaking of winning, the Australian Sportage Hybrid shares the powertrain of the larger Sorento Hybrid.
That means there's a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine under the hood rated at 132 kW (177 hp) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft) hooked to a 44k W/264 Nm (59 hp/195 lb-ft) electric motor and a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery for a combined output of 169 kW or 226 horsepower and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft). That's on par with the US version, by the way.
For example, you could opt for a smaller Niro EV or EV6. If not, there's an entire array of both hybrid and plug-in hybrid options in Kia's lineup, like the Niro Hybrid and PHEV, Sportage Hybrid and PHEV, and Sorento Hybrid and PHEV. Of course, not all of them are available everywhere. For example, unlike America, Australia didn't have access to the Sorento Hybrid compact crossover SUV. Well, that oversight ends now as Kia Australia was recently "pleased to confirm the Sportage Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) is arriving in dealerships."
Usually, when these models change from LHD to RHD, some penalties reflect generally higher prices than in the United States. Well, luckily, Kia is keeping the Sportage HEV affordable and will offer it in two grades - SX FWD Auto and GT-Line FWD Auto – starting from AUD45,950, which translates to $30,406 at the current exchange rate. That compares favorably with the $28,590 starting MSRP of the American-spec Sportage Hybrid. Sure, there are a couple thousand dollars between them, but in the US, the model starts with the LX trim, followed by EX at $32,290 and SX Prestige at $37,490.
In Australia, there's also a flagship GT-Line, which kicks off at AUD55,420, which is the equivalent of $36,635. On the other hand, customers do have the option to add AWD on LX models in America, while the EX and SX Prestige come with the Active AWD with center-locking differential as a standard perk. As always, you win some, then lose some. Speaking of winning, the Australian Sportage Hybrid shares the powertrain of the larger Sorento Hybrid.
That means there's a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine under the hood rated at 132 kW (177 hp) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft) hooked to a 44k W/264 Nm (59 hp/195 lb-ft) electric motor and a 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery for a combined output of 169 kW or 226 horsepower and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft). That's on par with the US version, by the way.
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