Kia Niro officially axed in Australia as facelift breaks cover

Kia has revealed the refreshed Niro electrified crossover, which has received a number of design and technology upgrades ahead of a March arrival in the domestic market – but don't expect it to launch in Australia.

Dubbed the 'New Niro', the facelifted version of the second-generation crossover now gets Kia's 'Opposites United' design language – debuting a new face and lighting signatures reminiscent of the smaller Stonic – plus new alloy wheel designs and the latest tech the Korean brand has to offer.

That means the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment suite, incorporating dual 12.3-inch displays running the brand's latest software and user interface which nestle into a redesigned dashboard.

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Set to be offered once again as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicle (EV), the 2026 Kia Niro will be fully detailed for the Korean domestic market in March. From there, it'll make its way to other major markets like Europe and the UK where it has proven very popular.

However for Australia, Kia's local division has confirmed that the Niro is discontinued from our market, as the brand pivots its focus to other nameplates that compete in the small SUV segment.

The Niro Hybrid will be replaced by the new Seltos Hybrid in the latter stages of 2026, while the Niro EV has already passed the baton to the similarly-sized EV3. Kia Australia never offered the current-generation Niro PHEV here, but it's understood it won't get a go Down Under, either.

Just 454 new units of the Korean crossover were registered in Australia last year, down from 1455 units the year prior.

The Niro has long struggled to emulate the success of Toyota's hybrids as well as its own cousin in the Hyundai Kona due to its premium price positioning versus mainstream-branded competition.

That's despite the Niro being a top-seller in overseas markets like South Korea and the UK, where its enduring success has likely earned it the facelift you see here rather than seeing it retired now that the EV3 exists, and the Seltos Hybrid is on the way.

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