As of 29 September 2026, neither Hyundai nor Kia has announced Australian pricing for these cars. This story will be updated when they do.
The Hyundai Ioniq 3 and the new Kia Seltos will both be judged on one line of the brochure. The price. Chinese rivals have reset what a small EV and a small hybrid SUV cost in Australia, and a good spec sheet won’t rescue either Korean if it lands high.
Neither price is out yet. So TorquePress has worked out the numbers each car has to beat, using the current rivals’ published prices. The Ioniq 3’s target comes from price per claimed kilometre of range. The Seltos’s comes from the hybrid SUVs Kia itself has named as the benchmark.
*Dolphin Essential price is BYD's offer for orders by 15 December 2026. Dolphin Premium drive-away varies by state. Ioniq 3 range figures are European WLTP claims; Australian figures are unconfirmed.
What Does the Ioniq 3 Need to Cost?
About $30,400 drive-away for the 42.2kWh car and $43,900 for the 61kWh car. At those prices, each matches the MG4 Essence 64’s $88 per claimed kilometre, which is the benchmark for a mainstream small EV. Any higher and it starts behind.
The European car claims 344km WLTP from its 42.2kWh battery and 496km from the 61kWh pack. It sits on a 400-volt version of the E-GMP platform, is built in Türkiye, and Hyundai claims a 29-minute 10 to 80 per cent charge. Local range figures could differ.
UK pricing starts at £22,245, which media outlets have converted to roughly $42,400. That’s a currency sum, not an Australian price. But it shows the risk. At $40,000 drive-away, the base Ioniq 3 would cost $116 per claimed kilometre, the worst figure on the chart above.
Hyundai Australia hasn’t committed to a figure. Sales director David Rodda told CarExpert the Ioniq 3 lifts the brand to 96 per cent coverage of the EV market, with launch due in the first quarter of 2027.
Does the FBT change help the Ioniq 3?
Yes, and fleet buyers should take note. Under draft laws, only EVs with a base value of $75,000 or less keep the full FBT discount on novated leases from 1 April 2027, according to the ATO’s summary. Any realistic Ioniq 3 price clears that line comfortably.
The Seltos gets no such help. It’s a conventional hybrid, and hybrids have never qualified for the electric car FBT exemption. On a novated lease, that gap can matter more than a few thousand dollars on the sticker. Get tax advice before you sign anything.
What Does the Seltos Need to Cost?
Under $39,990 drive-away for the base model, because that’s the price Kia chose to fight. Kia Australia told CarExpert in May the Seltos Hybrid will be competitive with the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, and flagged a sub-$40,000 on-road start. Launch is due in October.
The awkward bit is that the benchmark is moving. Hyundai’s $39,990 drive-away Kona Hybrid offer applies to cars ordered and delivered by 30 September. If Hyundai extends it or goes lower, Kia’s target moves too. Meanwhile the Chinese hybrids sit thousands of dollars lower.
| Model | Price | Basis | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chery Tiggo 4 Hybrid Urban | $29,990 | Drive-away | Cheapest small hybrid SUV listed here |
| GWM Haval Jolion Premium Hybrid | $32,990 | Drive-away | List price from January 2026; offers vary |
| MG ZS Excite Hybrid+ | $30,990 | Before on-roads | As listed by Drive, 2026 |
| Hyundai Kona Hybrid | $39,990 | Drive-away | Offer ends 30 September 2026 |
| Toyota Corolla Cross GX Hybrid | $37,440 | Before on-roads | Claimed 4.4L/100km |
| Kia Seltos Hybrid | TBA | n/a | Launch October 2026 |
Sources: Hyundai Australia, GWM Australia, CarExpert and Drive price listings, September 2026. Drive-away prices vary by state and offer.
Every Seltos is a hybrid, with front-drive S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line grades and electric all-wheel drive on some. The front-drive system pairs a 1.6-litre engine with an electric motor for 113kW and 265Nm, and Kia says the suspension and steering are tuned for Australian roads.
It can’t win on price against the Chery or the Jolion, and it doesn’t need to. It needs to undercut the Kona and Corolla Cross while matching them on safety and resale. Claimed fuel figures are still to come, and real-world economy is where hybrids earn their keep.
What This Means for Buyers
If you’re shopping a small EV now, don’t wait for the Ioniq 3 unless you’re prepared to pay for the badge. BYD’s $28,888 Dolphin Essential offer runs to 15 December, and the Ioniq 3 isn’t due until early 2027. Cheap new cars rarely stay cheap for long.
Hybrid buyers should hold off a few weeks. Seltos pricing lands in October, and it will reshape Kona and Corolla Cross deals whatever the number is. Parents buying for a P-plater should check the safest first cars list before committing to anything new.
Timing a purchase around a launch is its own game, and the buy-now-or-wait maths applies here too. Two good Korean cars are coming. Only the price will tell you whether either one is worth waiting for.
