After unveiling images of the 2025 Kia K4 last week, the Korean automaker officially unveiled its new compact sedan this morning at the New York Auto Show. Visually, the K4 is a radical departure from its Forte predecessor, inside and out, and is by far the best small sedan to hit the (American) market in a long time. But while the bigger, bolder look is a break with the past, the full reveal of the K4’s specs reflects a classic Kia small-car recipe.
While Kia didn’t reveal pricing at the show, the K4 will have similar finishes to its predecessor and use some of the same powertrains. Unfortunately, there was no mention of a manual transmission option, as in the existing Forte GT, but a five was mentioned. -Door, which will appeal to hatchback enthusiasts. This may seem at odds with the K4’s new name, competitive imagery and enlarged size, but despite all of Kia’s recent rebranding and increasingly premium vehicles, the company hasn’t forgotten who buys cars like this and what they want.
As consumers have flocked to small crossovers since 2014, the compact car sector has gained traction. The remaining models, such as the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Mazda3, are larger than ever, but most aren’t selling as well as they once did, with the exception of the Forte. 2023 was its peak sales year, with 123,953 copies sold. Their low value and appeal to value-conscious first-time buyers, who now have very few possible options for reasonable sedans, are the main reasons for this.
Kia needs its cars to be sold for their inherent appeal, not just because they’re affordable, and the K4’s cyberpunk makeover will certainly help with that. As long as it doesn’t become much more expensive, no one will be unhappy about having a cooler cooler. , best equipped car. The appearance and features are obvious, but the value is still undetermined.
Kia says the K4 is driven by the company’s “United Opposites” design philosophy, which is at the heart of the creation of the square-framed EV9 electric SUV. Since then, the EV9’s undeniably cool lines have encouraged the facelift of the K5 midsize sedan and Sorento SUV, as well as the EV3 and EV4 concepts.
The K4 is Kia’s first all-new production car to debut since the EV9 and is packed with “opposite” themes, adding square fenders and “Star Map” LED running lights during daylight hours. But it also comes with new instructions, and uses old tricks to make the most of traditional car proportions. At 185. 4 inches long and 72. 8 inches wide, it’s 2. 7 inches longer and 1. 9 inches taller than the older Forte and sports a very untraditional fastback roof.
While the comfortable fastback shape of the larger K5 has subtly evolved from previous Kia models, the rear of the K4’s greenhouse rotates upwards at a steep right angle. It’s similar to the now-discontinued Stinger roofline, but reinterpreted through Kia’s new design themes. Although its shape is reminiscent of a sedan, the K4 is a classic sedan. “By juxtaposing the fastback roofline and the K4’s wide stance, it visually splits the difference between the compact and midsize segments,” said Tom Kearns, lead designer at Kia’s Design Center. America.
The 2025 Kia K4 Hatchback is a little less impactful than the sedan, but it’s still stylish. It’s also. . . [ ] to the U. S. , according to the company.
The roofline (while admittedly distinctive) could be polarizing, but the rest of the car looks wonderful. Flares and vertical lights would look wonderful on Blade Runner 2049 or Cyberpunk 2077, and on the GT-Line’s 18-inch wheels, the total looks more muscular than a Subaru WRX. Kia didn’t show off the five-door edition on the screen, but it did show off some teaser photos, and it’s just as stylish.
The “opposites” are attractive, but the added length doesn’t just apply to the proportions. That gives the K4 a massive 14. 6 cubic feet of trunk, almost the largest in its class, and the five-door deserves to have even more (Kia doesn’t). We don’t discuss its specifications. ) There’s also 38 inches of legroom in the rear and 37. 3 inches of headroom in the rear, figures that coincidentally only match its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Elantra, which travels on the same platform and also has a distinctive fastback appearance.
Yes, you see this correctly. It’s a green interior, which will be available on the K4 EX. . . . [ ] Today, those interior colors are reserved for luxury cars.
Many of the lessons learned from Kia’s EV interiors are perfectly seen in the interior of the K4. Like the recent Sorento update, the K4’s dashboard is a huge horizontal expanse of blank lines, with a giant panel placed on top that incorporates a pair of giant screens. It looks a lot like the dashboards of the EV6 and EV9, albeit smaller. On the top models, there will be a pair of 12. 3-inch units, one for driver demonstration and one for infotainment. We don’t know the precise specifications of the bottom panel. The final models, although they will most likely have smaller screens as in some Mercedes-Benz that use similar panels.
Regardless of the style buyers choose, the setup looks cleaner and more functional than before, there are far fewer physical orders. This is possibly mixed, but at least the formula deserves to be easy to use. Having recently tested Kia’s newest connected car navigation system Cabin Operating Formula (ccNC) in the 2024 Sorento, there’s not much of a learning curve and, as with the Sorento, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay will be standard.
Another view of the interior of the K4 GT-Line. The lower versions will be simpler, but will have the same basic hardware.
The K4 will also have a Mercedes-like virtual assistant. According to Kia, the formula works according to the German formula. Just say “Hi Kia” and ask whatever you want. This formula will be included in several 2025 Kias, adding the Carnival, so evaluations of its performance deserve to be known very soon. The ccNC software will also gain advantages of over-the-air updates and optional virtual key generation for vehicle sharing between drivers.
As nice as the electronic systems are, the look doesn’t hurt either. The cheapest ones will be black or gray on the inside, but it’s never bad to have more variety of colors, both indoors and outdoors.
Taller models will get extras like an acoustic windshield that absorbs sound, as well as heated and ventilated seats, elements not found on the main competitors.
From the side, the K4 looks less radical, but the uncommon roof solution is even more noticeable. . . . [ ] Whatever you think, it’s not a wallflower.
Speaking of versions, although there have been some rearrangements, the new K4 Diversity looks a lot like the old Forte strip. There will be five trim levels: LX, LXS, EX, GT-Line, and GT-Line Turbo. The first 4 will use the same naturally aspirated 2. 0-liter 4-cylinder engine as before, with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque driving the front wheels through a frequently variable automatic transmission (CVT).
GT-Line Turbo models get a turbocharged 1. 6-liter four-cylinder engine with 190 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The big replacement here is the gearbox, as the old Forte GT used a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or six-speed manual and a tougher 1. 6-liter turbo (201 horsepower). The GT-Line and GT-Line Turbo models also benefit from a special multi-link rear suspension for increased handling. , as in the outgoing Forte GT.
These engines weren’t bad options possible on the old Forte, even if the functionality was lukewarm than some rivals. In what is now a larger car, it’s hard to see them faster or WRX-like, but there’s also nothing stopping Kia from digging. in your portions container and build a faster K4 GT. Hyundai’s Elantra N is an obvious styling for such an idea. Kia gave no indication that such a car could happen, but the manual Forte GT had a loyal following.
While the mechanical specs imply that the K4 may not possibly be as fierce as it looks, buyers will be extremely happy with the diversity of active protection features, which will now come with adaptive cruise with stop-start functionality. The K4’s automatic front emergency braking formula now also incorporates pedestrian and cyclist detection and crossing assistance. It will also have an evasive guide function. Higher models will, of course, get more, adding the live blind spot assist as featured on other Kias and surround-view monitoring.
If the K4 can take advantage of the good fortune of the Forte, one of the few small cars that has seen its sales increase in recent years, both in value and appearance.
According to the company, the 2025 Kia K4 will arrive in dealerships in the second part of 2024. Pricing, fuel economy data, and precise features will be announced closer to the on-sale date. Undoubtedly, this upgrade will lead to a development in prices. The new and popular driver assistance systems will increase costs, even if they are shared with other models, as well as the car’s platform.
However, since buyers are interested in cars, Kia will most likely try to keep price increases as minimal as possible. Although it costs $2,000 more than the Forte, it’s still a base value (including destination) of just over $23,000 and a maximum finish of around $28,000. The K4 would be a very attractive car at this price point if Kia could pull it off.