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Kia Australia has advised CarExpert the current growth of hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (HEV) powertrain availability throughout its Sorento lineup is not going to result in the top of diesel energy for the massive SUV – nor different fashions in its lineup.
The Korean auto model lately launched extra hybrid variations of the Sorento – Kia’s rival for the Toyota Kluger, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-80 – greater than doubling the variety of mannequin grades now accessible with hybrid energy.
However Kia says hybrids gained’t exchange its current diesel autos – no less than not but – regardless of its sister model Hyundai doing precisely that with its Tucson, Santa Fe and Palisade SUV.
“Diesel is a robust match for Sorento,” Kia Australia normal supervisor of product planning, Roland Rivero, advised CarExpert.
“Extra clients need to step right into a hybrid – the growth of the hybrid lineup is to answer buyer requests – [but] now we have no intention to drop diesel engines.”
Diesel automobile gross sales in Australia have been up 5.1 per cent in September 2025, however stay down 1.4 per cent year-on-year, after a 2.5 per cent decline in 2024.
Kia Australia beforehand stated diesel energy would stay within the up to date Sportage mid-size SUV vary, which arrived in July, whereas the Carnival folks mover additionally stays accessible with the selection of each hybrid and diesel powertrains.
“The diesel is essential for Sorento, Carnival and Sportage,” Mr Rivero stated.
The feedback come within the wake of the introduction of Australia’s New Automobile Effectivity Customary (NVES), which points fines to automotive corporations that breach progressively decrease CO2 tailpipe emissions limits between 2025 and 2029.
The bounds are lowered yearly over the following 5 years, and are mandated in two separate tiers – primarily one for passenger autos and one other for business autos and off-road SUVs.
The fines are based mostly on fleet-average CO2 figures, that means automakers can promote autos that exceed their specified CO2 restrict and offset them towards lower-emitting autos to cut back or eradicate monetary penalties, or to keep away from shopping for credit from electrical automobile manufacturers in what’s successfully a carbon buying and selling scheme for the Australian auto trade.
With Kia introducing its diesel-powered Tasman dual-cab ute in 2025, the automaker appeared more likely to observe Hyundai in changing diesel SUVs with hybrid SUV to stay NVES-compliant, even when it sells a number of EV fashions of its personal.
The Tasman – Kia’s first rival for the top-selling Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux – has mixed CO2 emissions of 195g/km, which is permissible till 2026 when the Tier 2 restrict that applies to it’s lowered from 210g/km to 180g/km.
Kia Australia beforehand stated its vary of EVs will allow it to offset gross sales of the Tasman, of which it goals to promote round 20,000 yearly. However it’s presently monitoring properly in need of that quantity, decreasing its threat of attracting NVES penalties.
Different manufacturers persevering with with diesel energy embody GWM, which has introduced a much bigger new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine for its Tank 500 off-road SUV. It’s additionally anticipated to be provided in its Tasman-rivalling Cannon Alpha dual-cab.
Diesel autos account for greater than half of all Toyota Australia gross sales, however gross sales and advertising and marketing boss Sean Hanley lately stated diesel energy would get replaced by options – corresponding to hydrogen fuel-cell EVs – within the subsequent decade.
Toyota, GWM and Kia (through the Hyundai Motor Group) are all engaged on hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain know-how.
MORE: Discover the Kia showroom
