Kia K4

Kia K4 at a glance

One car instead of three names

For years Kia sold its compact saloon as the Cerato in most markets, as the Forte in North America and as the K3 in Korea and China. The K4 brings these under a single name. The K3 name did not disappear: it moved to a smaller subcompact model built since 2023. The four earlier generations of the Cerato family are described in our Kia Cerato article.

Measured against the last Mexican-market Forte saloon (4,640 mm long, 2,700 mm wheelbase, 502-litre boot), the K4 saloon is 70 mm longer and has 20 mm more wheelbase. Its boot, however, is 89 litres smaller.

In Europe the K4 also takes over from the Kia Ceed hatchback. The car shares its platform with the seventh-generation Hyundai Elantra, but its body and cabin are Kia's own.

Three bodies: saloon, hatchback and Sportswagon

All three are 1,850 mm wide and share the 2,720 mm wheelbase. The saloon has a fastback profile with a thick rear pillar, and the hatchback is styled almost like a shooting brake. Vertical headlights and tail lamps and hidden rear door handles follow Kia's "Opposites United" design language.

The Sportswagon estate was unveiled on 13 January 2026. It is 15 mm shorter than the saloon but 265 mm longer than the hatchback. Its 604-litre boot is 166 litres larger than the hatchback's 438 litres in Auto Express's data. Among hatchbacks of its class, Auto Express found that only the Skoda Octavia offers more boot space than the K4.

Engines and gearboxes

Every K4 is front-wheel drive. In the UK, Auto Express measured 0–62 mph in 12.3 s for the 1.0 DCT, 9.1 s for the 110 kW turbo and 8.4 s for the most powerful version. The 1.6 turbo models can tow up to 1,410 kg. A US K4 GT-Line Turbo weighs about 1,489 kg and is rated at 29 mpg combined.

Interior and technology

The dashboard carries Kia's Connected Car Navigation Cockpit, first seen in the EV9. Two 12.3-inch displays sit under one glass panel almost 30 inches (760 mm) wide. Kia kept two rows of physical buttons for the climate and audio controls, which reviewers welcomed.

Other features of the K4:

• the first Kia voice assistant activated by "Hey Kia";
• Digital Key 2.0, which uses ultra-wideband with a phone or an NFC card;
• a T-shaped gear lever on automatic versions;
• driver assistance systems, standard in the UK as part of the Safety Pack.

Critics point to dull handling, noticeable wind and road noise on the motorway and fuel use above the official figures. Space in the back and the boot are the main strengths.

Safety

Markets, sales and prices

The K4 went on sale in Mexico on 1 August 2024 and in North America the same month. Australia followed on 16 January 2025, the Middle East on 8 May 2025. Kia unveiled the European hatchback on 17 September 2025.

The car sells strongly in America: 139,778 units in the US in 2024 and 140,514 in 2025, plus 13,984 in Canada in 2025. In Britain Kia gives a seven-year warranty.