Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

Kia Expands Its EV Lineup with Three New GT Performance Models

Kia is pushing its electric vehicle strategy into more performance-oriented territory, unveiling GT versions of the EV3 crossover, EV4 hatch and fastback, and EV5 SUV at the Brussels Motor Show. These newcomers join the existing EV6 and EV9 GT models, expanding Kia’s roster of high-performance electrics.

The trio shares a philosophy articulated by Alex Papapetropolous, Kia Europe’s planning boss, who told Autocar, “We don’t treat GT like a one-off, like some competitors. GT models are about more than just extra power. We have hardware to deliver everyday emotion – and we want to deliver that in a sophisticated way.”

The EV3 and EV4 GTs are built on the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform and share a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that pairs a 194-hp front motor with a 94-hp rear unit, producing a combined 288 horsepower. Both draw energy from an 81.2-kWh battery, the same as the Long Range versions of their standard siblings. Official range figures haven’t been released, but performance is respectable: the EV3 GT hits 62 mph in 5.7 seconds, while the more aerodynamic EV4 GT clips that by a tenth of a second.

Kia has gone beyond raw numbers with these models. Bespoke chassis tuning, electronically controlled suspension with unique GT settings, cornering stability enhancements, and 20-inch performance tires are all part of the package. A dedicated GT drive mode further sharpens throttle response, steering, and suspension behavior for what Kia describes as a “more focused and immersive driving character.”

Inside, the EV3 GT features bucket-style seats inspired by the EV9 GT and neon-accented trim. The EV4 GT, offered in both hatch and fastback forms, adds a three-spoke steering wheel and other sporty interior touches. Both models also feature Kia’s virtual gearshift system, which uses active sound design to enhance the driving experience—a feature familiar from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and the forthcoming Genesis GV60 Magma.

Kia GT Performance EV Lineup

The EV5 GT, meanwhile, steps up with a slightly more powerful powertrain: a 208-hp front motor combines with a rear motor for a total output of 302 horsepower, enabling a 0-62 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. While Kia hasn’t disclosed battery size or full performance specs, the standard EV5’s 88.1-kWh pack is a likely candidate. The SUV also benefits from electronically controlled suspension with a “road preview system” that adjusts automatically to upcoming bumps and curves, along with performance tires and bespoke sport interior elements.

Production of all three GT models is slated for the second quarter of 2026, though pricing and UK availability have not yet been announced.

With these additions, Kia is signaling that GT is no longer just a halo badge—it’s an ethos across its EV lineup, combining everyday usability with genuine driving excitement.

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

Hyundai Staria Electric Aims to Make Minivans Cool Again

Hyundai has never been shy about turning the volume knob past 11, and the Staria proves it. Now the brand is plugging in its most spaceship-like MPV yet, aiming squarely at rivals like the Kia PV5 and Ford E-Tourneo Custom with a fully electric Staria that’s officially headed for Europe—and potentially the UK.

First launched in 2021, the Staria looked less like a minivan and more like something that had slipped through a wormhole from the year 2045. Underneath its monolithic skin sits the same platform as the Santa Fe, and until now European buyers have only had diesel power to work with. That changes with the debut of the Staria Electric, revealed at the Brussels motor show and approved for right-hand-drive markets.

At 5255mm long and nearly two metres tall, the Staria Electric isn’t just big—it’s unapologetically enormous. A 2375mm wheelbase supports either seven or nine seats, making this the largest electric vehicle Hyundai currently offers. The company sees its appeal extending from large families to airport shuttle fleets to anyone whose idea of an “active lifestyle” involves hauling half their life at once.

Power comes from an 84kWh lithium-ion battery feeding a 216bhp motor driving the front wheels. Hyundai hasn’t published a 0–62mph time, but given the output and size, expect something around the eight-second mark. Top speed is a claimed 114mph, and towing capacity tops out at a respectable two tonnes—figures that keep it competitive with both ICE and electric people-movers.

The real eyebrow-raiser is underneath. Despite being based on an internal-combustion platform, the Staria Electric uses 800-volt electrical architecture—the same tech found in Hyundai’s dedicated EVs. That enables rapid charging from 10 to 80 percent in just 20 minutes, implying average charging speeds north of 180kW. For a vehicle this size, that’s genuinely impressive.

Visually, the electric version doesn’t stray far from the facelifted ICE model. You still get the unmistakable wraparound LED light bar, twin sliding doors, massive glasshouse, and a cavernous interior with a flat floor and cathedral-like headroom. Hyundai says suspension tweaks and additional sound insulation have been added to better suit the quieter EV powertrain.

Inside, the dashboard mirrors other modern Hyundais, with twin 12.3-inch screens and a welcome number of physical buttons for key functions. The column-mounted gear selector frees up space in the centre console, reinforcing the Staria’s lounge-on-wheels vibe.

Hyundai plans to offer the seven-seat Luxury version and the four-row Wagon variant in Europe during the first half of the year. UK availability hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the intent is clearly there.

If minivans are due for an electric reinvention, the Staria Electric makes a compelling case—big, bold, fast-charging, and utterly unconcerned with blending in. Whether British buyers are ready for something this unapologetically futuristic is the only remaining question.

Source: Hyundai

NEW CARS

2026 DS No3

DS Automobiles knows it has a problem—and it’s called the DS 3. Once the brand’s breakout hit, the stylish little hatch has quietly slid into irrelevance, becoming the oldest and slowest-selling model in DS’s three-car lineup. Now, with sales dwindling and competition fiercer than ever, DS is preparing a reboot that leans heavily on the car that started it all—without falling into the retro trap.

According to DS design chief Thierry Métroz, the next-generation DS 3—soon to be renamed No3—will draw inspiration from the original, first-generation DS 3 of the mid-2010s. That car, remember, wasn’t just successful; it was a phenomenon. Half a million units sold, strong uptake in France and the UK, and enough visual swagger to establish DS as more than just Citroën’s fashion-forward sub-brand. That’s the magic DS wants back.

But don’t expect a nostalgia play.

“We don’t want retro design,” Métroz told Autocar at the Brussels motor show. Instead, the brief is something far trickier: take the essence of the original DS 3—its simplicity, sportiness, and visual clarity—and reinterpret it through a futuristic lens. In DS-speak, that translates to “sporty,” “hot,” and unapologetically modern.

Back to the Future, DS-Style

The first DS 3 worked because it didn’t try too hard. Its proportions were clean, its surfacing was smooth, and its details—especially those distinctive, squarish rear lights with a three-dimensional effect—were memorable without being gimmicky. Métroz clearly wants to revisit that philosophy.

“What I love looking back,” he said, “is the super-sleek, very sensible, very round design. Very simple design, no additional design feature or cladding, very clean, very pure, but very expressive.”

That last part is key. If the current DS lineup sometimes feels like it’s drowning in chrome accents and visual noise, the No3 is being positioned as a reset—a return to strong forms and confident restraint, executed with modern tech and materials. Think less decorative excess, more architectural precision.

More Than a Facelift

This won’t be a mild refresh or an evolutionary update. DS insists the No3 will be completely redesigned from today’s DS 3, and it may even move into what Métroz calls “another segment.” That echoes earlier comments from DS boss Xavier Peugeot, who suggested the car could “create its own segment”—a bold claim in a market that already feels over-segmented.

Whether that means a shift in size, stance, or outright body style remains unclear. But the message is obvious: DS doesn’t just want to fix the DS 3; it wants to redefine it.

That ambition comes at a crucial time. In markets like the UK, the DS 3 has become an also-ran, selling just 250 units last year. For a brand that trades heavily on image and exclusivity, that’s less boutique and more invisible.

Lighting the Way Forward

Visually, the No3 will align with DS’s newer models through shared design DNA—most notably the lighting signature recently introduced on the radical-looking No8 flagship. DS believes lighting is one of its strongest brand identifiers, and the No3 will carry that torch.

Still, Métroz is adamant that cohesion won’t come at the expense of individuality.

“It’s very important that the design will be iconic—something very unique, unique only for DS 3,” he said. “Different from No4 and No8, different from No7.”

That’s a tall order. The No4 and No8 already stake out very different visual territories, and the incoming No7 will likely add another layer of complexity. Making the smallest car in the range stand out—without making it look like a stylistic outlier—may be the hardest part of the project.

A High-Stakes Reinvention

DS’s challenge is clear. The brand needs the No3 to be desirable, distinctive, and emotionally resonant in a segment crowded with polished, competent rivals. Mining the success of the original DS 3 is a logical move—but success this time won’t come from clever colors and floating roofs alone.

If DS gets it right, the No3 could once again become the brand’s gateway drug: a compact hatch with real personality, premium ambition, and just enough Gallic flair to stand apart from the mainstream. Get it wrong, and it risks becoming another stylish footnote in an increasingly unforgiving market.

As Métroz himself admits, “It’s a very challenging car.” For DS, it might also be the most important one.

Source: Autocar