Tag Archives: KIA

News

2026 Kia Sportage Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Amid Tougher Crash Standards

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The 2026 Kia Sportage isn’t just a looker in the crowded compact SUV segment—it’s now officially one of the safest, too. Kia announced that its latest Sportage has earned the coveted 2025 Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+) rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the organization’s highest possible honor. The award applies to models built after May 2025 and comes amid a new round of tougher testing protocols that have raised the bar for safety across the board.

To snag a TSP+ badge, a vehicle has to ace all major crashworthiness categories, and the Sportage did exactly that. The small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and updated side tests all returned the top-tier “Good” rating. Kia’s SUV also passed the IIHS’s latest pedestrian front crash prevention test with “Acceptable” or better performance, while every trim level ships with headlights rated “Acceptable” or “Good.”

Raising the Safety Bar

This year’s IIHS updates were no small tweak—the organization has tightened its criteria for rear occupant protection and expanded how it evaluates crash avoidance and headlight performance. That means earning a TSP+ in 2025 carries more weight than ever. The 2026 Sportage didn’t just clear the bar; it vaulted over it.

Kia credits the Sportage’s strong showing to its high-rigidity body structure, refined crash energy management, and a suite of advanced driver-assistance technologies. The compact SUV’s platform already underpins several of Kia’s best performers in global safety tests, and the brand’s ongoing investment in smarter structural design appears to be paying dividends.

TSP vs. TSP+

The IIHS currently hands out two tiers of recognition—Top Safety Pick (TSP) and Top Safety Pick+ (TSP+). To qualify for the basic TSP, a vehicle needs “Good” ratings in the small overlap and updated side tests and at least “Acceptable” in the updated moderate overlap front test, along with pedestrian crash prevention and adequate headlights. The “Plus” distinction requires the top rating in all major categories and good performance across trim levels.

The 2026 Sportage managed “Good” ratings across the board, giving it the edge over several popular competitors that fell short under the stricter 2025 testing regime.

Safe and Sound

For Kia, this isn’t just a feather in its cap—it’s another proof point in a steady march toward credibility and consistency. With the new Sportage earning IIHS’s highest honor, the brand continues to solidify its position among mainstream automakers delivering premium-level safety and engineering at accessible prices.

And while crash tests aren’t exactly thrilling, knowing the Sportage can take a hit—literally—might make that next highway merge just a little more relaxing.

Source: KIA

News

Kia Puts the Brakes on Its EV4 Sedan for the U.S. Market

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Kia’s electric future just hit a speed bump. After a promising start with the EV6 and the three-row EV9 SUV, the brand’s next act—a sleek, affordable EV4 sedan—has been put on ice for the U.S. market.

According to a report from InsideEVs, Kia has indefinitely delayed the launch of the EV4, citing shifting market conditions. A spokesperson told the outlet that “as market conditions for EVs have changed, the release of the upcoming EV4 electric sedan will be delayed until further notice.”

It’s a surprising reversal for Kia, which had shown the EV4 at the 2025 New York auto show earlier this year, promising sales would start in early 2026. The compact four-door was meant to be a key pillar in Kia’s growing EV lineup—offering a more budget-friendly alternative to the EV6’s sportier positioning.

But a lot can change in a few months. The Trump administration’s new tariffs on imported vehicles and the removal of the federal EV tax credit have dramatically reshaped the economic landscape for automakers without U.S.-based EV production. The EV4, which is assembled in South Korea, suddenly looks a lot less viable from a pricing standpoint.

Originally, Kia planned to offer the EV4 in two configurations, both featuring a single front-mounted motor good for 201 horsepower. The base Light model was expected to pack a 58.0-kWh battery good for around 235 miles of range, while higher trims—Wind and GT-Line—would step up to an 81.0-kWh pack delivering as much as 330 miles in the Wind trim. Prices were slated to start around $39,000, making it one of the most affordable long-range EV sedans on the market.

With the EV4 now stalled indefinitely, its smaller sibling, the EV3 subcompact SUV, could become Kia’s next U.S.-bound electric hope. The EV3 has been on sale overseas for nearly a year, but Kia has yet to confirm American timing. A spokesperson told InsideEVs they had “nothing to report on the EV3 right now,” leaving the future of Kia’s entry-level EV lineup uncertain.

It’s not just Kia feeling the squeeze. The EV4 joins a growing list of electric models—like Volkswagen’s ID.7—that have been delayed or canceled amid cooling EV demand and complicated trade realities.

For now, Kia’s U.S. EV lineup remains a two-car show anchored by the EV6 and EV9, both strong performers in their respective segments. But if the EV4’s delay stretches on, the brand’s push to make EVs accessible to the masses could be stuck in neutral for a while longer.

Source: KIA

NEW CARS

Kia Makes Its Long-Awaited Japan Debut With the PV5: A Modular Electric Van With Big Ambitions

Kia is officially entering the Japanese market—and it’s doing so with a statement piece. At the 2025 Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, running from October 29 to November 9, the South Korean automaker will unveil the PV5, its first Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) model. More than just another EV, the PV5 represents Kia’s opening move in Japan and a major milestone in its global electrification strategy.

A Strategic Reentry Backed by a Heavyweight Partner

It’s not often that a foreign automaker reenters Japan with this kind of precision and ambition. Kia’s debut is powered by a strategic alliance with Sojitz Group, a major Japanese conglomerate with deep roots in the nation’s automotive, energy, and infrastructure sectors. Together, the two companies have founded Kia PBV Japan, a Sojitz-operated sales subsidiary that will oversee the brand’s PBV rollout.

The goal? Launch eight dealerships and 100 service centers across Japan in the first year—a bold move in a country where brand loyalty and trust are hard-earned.

Kia and Sojitz share a lofty mission: to push Japan toward carbon-neutral mobility, while using the PBV lineup to solve social challenges like aging demographics, regional depopulation, and logistics bottlenecks. It’s a tall order—but if the PV5 delivers on its promises, it might just prove that EV innovation doesn’t have to come from Tokyo or Nagoya.

“The PV5 is not just a vehicle—it’s a mobility platform designed to meet the diverse needs of customers in Japan,” says Sangdae Kim, Executive VP and Head of Kia’s PBV Division. “We aim to deliver meaningful solutions that support people, empower businesses, and strengthen local communities.”

Meet the PV5: Kia’s Swiss Army Van

The PV5 is Kia’s first purpose-built EV designed for business, mobility, and lifestyle versatility. Built on the company’s dedicated E-GMP.S (Electric-Global Modular Platform for Service) architecture, the PV5 is engineered to be as flexible as a Lego set on wheels.

Thanks to Kia’s new Flexible Body System, the PV5 can be configured into up to 16 variants—ranging from delivery vans and people movers to wheelchair-accessible shuttles and leisure-oriented family haulers. Production comes from Kia’s eco-friendly PBV EVO Plant, which combines modular cell-based manufacturing with conventional conveyor efficiency.

Japanese-Tuned Electric Flexibility

At the Japan Mobility Show, Kia will showcase several Japan-specific PV5 versions that reflect the country’s unique social and urban mobility needs.

PV5 Cargo

  • 5.5-meter turning radius, ideal for navigating Japan’s famously tight streets
  • Up to 528 km of range (WLTC) from a 71.2 kWh battery
  • Dual-swing tailgate for easy loading in narrow parking spots
  • 12.9-inch infotainment system with Fleet Management System (FMS) integration
  • Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) tailored for dense city driving

PV5 Passenger

  • 399 mm step height and wide doors, perfect for aging passengers or community shuttles
  • Up to 521 km of range (WLTC)
  • Flexible Fold seating system for passenger or cargo use
  • Kia AddGear modular system, allowing users to add mobility aids, business tools, or leisure gear
  • Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) power outlets—both inside and out—for camping or worksite use

PV5 WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle)

  • Designed with input from mobility-impaired users
  • Features a low floor and side-entry ramp for easy wheelchair access
  • Includes universal restraint systems for secure transport

Inside Kia’s PBV Vision

Beyond the vehicle itself, Kia’s PBV strategy is a forward-looking business ecosystem. The automaker envisions software-defined mobility, where vehicles evolve through over-the-air (OTA) updates and integrate seamlessly into business and urban infrastructure.

At the brand’s show stand in Tokyo, Kia is highlighting ten sustainable material innovations, a color chip wall showcasing the brand’s design direction, and the AddGear platform—a modular accessories program that lets users tailor their PV5 for work or play.

The Road Ahead

The PV5 is set to go on sale in Japan in the first half of 2026, with the Passenger and Cargo Long models leading the charge. Kia isn’t stopping there—plans are already in motion for the PV7, a larger PBV expected to debut in 2027.

With its reentry into Japan, Kia is betting big on modular electric mobility—and on the idea that flexibility, sustainability, and purpose-built design can carve out a niche even in one of the world’s toughest automotive markets.

If the PV5 drives as well as it’s been designed to think, Kia’s long-awaited Japanese comeback might not just be a return—it could be a reinvention.

Source: KIA