Your Questions Answered: is Australia getting the Kia K4 wagon?

I wanted to know if there’s any news on the Kia K4 station wagon? Is it coming to Australia, and if so, when? - Colin

Answer: Sadly, Colin, the station wagon version of the Kia K4 – called the Sportswagon – is not going to be released in Australia, with the bad news given by Kia’s local head honchos earlier this year.

Kia Australia already sells sedan and hatch versions of the K4. Surely the wagon would add an even more practical, nimbler and more efficient alternative to an SUV, right?

Yet Kia has run the numbers and it reckons it is simply not something that would sell very well in the primarily SUV-focused Australian market.

The K4 Sportswagon is built in Mexico, and when announced in January, was revealed with four powertrain options: a trio of 86kW 1.0-litre turbo-triples – distinguished by their transmissions and the presence of a mild-hybrid system – and a 132kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine also used in the Sportage.

The Sportswagon’s 604-litre boot offers 166 litres more volume than the K4 hatch, but that advantage drops to just 44 litres with the MHEV version.

Despite Kia not giving the Sportswagon a go here, SUVs haven’t completely trampled on the traditional station wagon in Oz.

Affordable(ish) station wagons you can still buy new include the recently launched BYD Seal 6 Touring, Cupra Leon Sportstourer, Skoda Octavia and Superb and the Subaru WRX Sportswagon.

Some might include the Toyota bZ4X Touring and its Subaru Trailseeker twin, but they have an abundance of ground clearance, just like, well, an SUV.

I would love to know how much longer we have to wait for the new Mahindra Pik-Up. - Marie

Answer: Well Marie, it has been a long time coming. The new Pik-Up was well into final development stage when we reported on it last year and was teased as a concept three years ago.

However, the new Pik-Up hasn’t been launched anywhere yet, so local release timing is still quite rubbery.

According to Mahindra Australia, that means once it’s launched internationally, it will be a further 12 months delay before it goes on sale here.

Some unconfirmed reports suggest a global reveal of the production model as soon as next month, so that means Aussie deliveries might start in the second half of 2027 at the earliest.

While Mahindra Australia will have a pre-order stage announced on their website and socials closer to launch, keep an eye out on carsales for any new developments, including the global reveal of the production model.

The new model will most likely initially launch with an upgraded version of the familiar 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, while there’s some reports of a hybrid version turning up sometime later.

I have owned four new RAM 1500s and am a loyal supporter of the brand. I have not upgraded my current vehicle, along with approximately seven other RAM V8 owners I know, because the naturally aspirated V8 has been replaced by a twin-turbo V6. I have compared the V6 versions of RAM, Toyota Tundra and Ford F-150. Based on both published data and real-world experience, particularly while towing, I’ve found the HEMI V8 is significantly more fuel-efficient. The twin-turbo V6 engines work much harder under load and fuel consumption when towing can be at least 30 per cent higher than the V8. Many buyers purchase these trucks specifically for the V8. Replacing it with a smaller, highly stressed turbocharged engine is not what many long-term owners want. I won’t be upgrading mine until a V8 is available again. I hope this feedback is passed on to RAM Australia, as I believe there are many loyal customers who share this sentiment. - Paul

Answer: Hey Paul, unfortunately smaller displacement engines that promise better efficiency and more power is generally the direction big ute manufacturers are heading in, rightly or wrongly.

The main reasons are ever tightening emissions and fuel consumption regulations. The local return of the V8 RAM 1500 is not looking good. I agree that in some real-world heavy-duty towing conditions, a naturally aspirated petrol V8 can at least match or better the theoretically more efficient twin-turbo V6s, but that scenario is not in any official fuel/emissions cycle testing parameters.

For the 1500, the official combined fuel figures are 10.7L/100km for the Hurricane V6 and 12.2L/100km for the last of the HEMIs certified locally in 2024. Yes, the Ford F-150 V6 is thirstier at 13.4L/100km, and we know the Toyota Tundra likes a drink from our own testing (the Tundra gets away without having to submit fuel figures here – for now).

The good news (maybe) is that the outcry from customers in the US after the HEMI V8 was dropped has resulted in an about-face, with RAM returning the V8 to duty stateside earlier this year.

The bad news is, sorting out engineering, approvals and separate assembly/production areas for Australian right-hand drive conversion would be expensive.

Also, the New Vehicle Emissions Scheme (NVES) isn’t going away anytime soon. Because its emissions are higher than the V6, if re-introduced, the HEMI V8 could well attract big NVES non-compliance fines and drive up the RRP massively.

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