Kia K4 Reviews

I know, I know, the small passenger car segment is on its last legs in Australia. Dying, if not already dead. The eulogy is written. The hole has been dug. All that's left is to lower the few remaining stragglers into the ground.The problem is, nobody seems to have told Kia. The Korean brand is doubling (or even tripling, if you consider the Picanto) down on its passenger car offering in Australia with the launch of the K4 hatch.You're no doubt already familiar with the K4 sedan – the brand's Cerato-replacing small car that arrived in Australia at the beginning of this year. But this slower-to-arrive hatch version is the one they've been waiting for."Australians are hatchback people," the brand tells us, and so this wagon-esque body shape will be the model's best-seller. And considering the sedan managed 5942 sales to the end of November (in a segment that shrank by 23.6 per cent over the same period) that would be good news for Kia.It's worth remembering here that this is supposed to be one of Kia's entry-level vehicles, but it really doesn't look like it, does it? I love the new design language on both K4 examples, but I like this one even better, mostly because it blends Kia's future-friendly front-end design with a sportier-feeling silhouette.It also doesn't look like a hatchback, at least in the traditional sense. It might be shorter than the sedan (4440mm versus 4710mm), but the way the design seems to stretch back from the b-pillar gives the K4 hatch a kind of wagon-ish profile.Like the sedan, the K4 hatch is available in five grades, and pricing and equipment is identical across the body styles. That means no matter the shape you choose, you can have a K4 S for $32,090, an S with Safety Pack for $34,190, a Sport for $36,690, a Sport+ for $39,090 or a GT-Line for $43,790.I won't detail the full spec here, but we have a detailed article that covers all the inclusions at each price point.In hatch guise, I've only really tested the GT-Line trim, and yes, nearly $44k before on-roads is a sizeable ask, but I've got to say it does also feel quite plush in the cabin. All the materials kind of melt under the touch, and you get leather-ish seats trimmed – in my test car at least – in sharp-looking white and black.The twin-screen setup (one 12.3-inch screen for multimedia and another for driving info, with a climate control panel sandwiched between) is probably my favourite iteration of Kia's cabin layout, because not only do you get the tech, you also get a whole bunch of shortcut buttons so you don't have to go digging through screens every time you want to do something.But the big news for most of the K4 range is a new and more efficient 2.0-litre engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that drops power slightly, and fuel use more significantly.The new engine and gearbox combination makes 110kW and 180Nm, compared to 112kW and 192Nm, with fuel use falling from 7.4L/100km to a more frugal six litres flat.The K4 hatch is slightly shorter and slightly lower than the Cerato that it effectively replaces, but there is some clever interior packaging, so much so in fact that Kia says you get more legroom and headroom in both the front row and the second row than you did in the old Cerato, but marginally less shoulder room in the back seat.What does that mean in real terms? It means that I think you'd actually get away with this as a family car, at least in terms of passenger space.Sitting behind my own 175cm driving position, I had tonnes of knee room and enough headroom to get comfortable. Yes, it would be tight with three adults across the back, but you could have two kids back there, or a child seat or two, easily. But it is at the boot where the first chink in that family-friendly armour does appear. The boot is 438 litres VDA, which is very solid, but not good enough to swallow a massive pram comfortably. There is, however, a space-saver spare under the boot floor, which is a tick.I'm going to have to limit my drive impressions to the GT-Line, which is possibly no bad thing. A turbocharged engine and an actual gearbox is a rarity in the world of cars these days, plus the 1.6-litre turbo and eight-speed automatic reserved for the GT-Line makes 142kW and 265Nm – both big jumps over the rest of the range.I've driven a lot of newcomer brands to the country recently, and I've got to say, really none of them shine on Australian roads the way that cars have been tuned and tested here shine on Australian roads, and the K4 hatch is no exception. It rides firmly but comfortably, the steering is nicely weighted, and there's a level of engagement to the experience sometimes lacking from the competition.Now, that's not to say it isn't without some quirks. It can feel a little bit loud and ragged in the cabin when you put your foot down. And the steering, which has a really nice weight to it, doesn't feel overly linear all the time either. When you turn into a corner, sometimes it feels like you have to have another bite at it, or less of a bite of it. It's like it turns on some lock and then a lot of lock all at once.But in terms of cruising around the city or the suburbs, this thing is comfortable, mostly quiet, and easy to live with, and it'll do pretty much what you need it to do without too much drama.But one final caveat. Before I set out to film this car for the video review above, I had to studiously make sure that all the safety systems were either turned off or turned to silent, because you just know they're going to interrupt filming with bings and bongs and chimes.That is a curse of the modern car. I really do hope they find a way to iron it out sooner rather than later, because believe me, you will get familiar with turning off the safety systems in this one, too.

The popular Kia Cerato, also known as the K3 in overseas markets, has been replaced by a new small sedan - the K4. It brings a sharper and far sportier look to the segment and with a hatchback sibling arriving later in the year, will it prove to be as popular as the model it replaces?

The Kia Cerato is no more. Welcome to the Kia line-up, the new K4.It is bigger than the Cerato in almost every dimension and has a bigger cabin as well as a sleek new exterior design. From launch the only body style is the sedan, but a hatchback is coming before the end of 2025. It’s also petrol power only for now but expect a hybrid soon.Compared with the Cerato GT, pricing has increased by more than $6100, but Kia says the uptick in price can be put down to an increase in in-car and safety tech, greater levels of refinement and more.The GT-Line uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, matched with an eight-speed torque converter auto. With power and torque outputs of 142kW and 264Nm, it is down slightly compared with the outgoing Cerato GT’s 150kW/265Nm figures, but the K4 GT-Line is no full-fat GT. As a result, fuel consumption on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is down by 0.2L to 6.7 litres per 100 kilometres.As the flagship grade, the GT-Line gains the most standard gear and on top of everything that’s included on the Sport+, you get a premium Harman Kardon eight-speaker audio system, a three-spoke premium steering wheel, artificial leather seats, eight-way power driver’s seat, paddle shifters, ambient lighting, heated steering wheel and a wireless charging pad.You also get a more premium interior with two-tone synthetic leather, a two-tone three-spoke GT-Line steering wheel and more soft-touch materials.

The Kia K4 has officially replaced the popular Cerato as Kia’s small car offering, but this model is bigger than its predecessor and many of its rivals that include the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3.From launch the only body style is the sedan, but a hatchback is coming before the end of 2025. It’s also petrol power only for now but expect a hybrid soon.Pricing for the Sport+ has increased by more than $5300 over the equivalent Cerato grade, but Kia says the uptick in price can be put down to an increase in in-car and safety tech, greater levels of refinement and more.The Sport is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine offering up power and torque of 112kW/192Nm. This drives the front wheels via a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.The carryover 2.0-litre unit consumes 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle and emits 167g/km of CO2.The Sport+ is the best equipped 2.0L K4 grade and over and above the Sport it comes standard with heated front seats, a passenger side rear map pocket, illuminated glove box, soft-touch door panels, auto-dimming rear view mirror, rain-sensing wipers, synthetic leather seats and 17-inch alloys.

The Kia Cerato-replacing K4 is bigger and bolder than its predecessor and comes to market with a lot more standard gear and safety equipment.From launch the only body style is the sedan, but a hatchback is coming before the end of 2025. It’s also petrol power only for now but expect a hybrid soon.Pricing for the Sport has increased by more than $6000 over the equivalent Cerato grade, but Kia says the uptick in price can be put down to an increase in in-car and safety tech, greater levels of refinement and more.The Sport is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine offering up power and torque of 112kW/192Nm. This drives the front wheels via a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.The carryover 2.0-litre unit consumes 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle and emits 167g/km of CO2.The K4 comes with a lengthy safety features list across all grades, including auto emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control (with stop & go functionality), lane keep assist, lane follow assist, multi-collision braking, ‘Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist’, driver attention warning, ‘Intelligent Speed Limit Assist’, a front centre airbag and more.

The Kia K4 replaces the long-running Cerato and the new model has increased in size to the point that it’s straddling small and mid-size car dimensions.From launch the only body style is the sedan, but a hatchback is coming before the end of 2025. It’s also petrol power only for now but expect a hybrid soon.Kicking off the range is the base S, which has gone up in price by more than $3500. Kia says the uptick in price can be put down to an increase in in-car and safety tech, greater levels of refinement and more.The S is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine offering up power and torque of 112kW/192Nm. This drives the front wheels via a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission.The carryover 2.0-litre unit consumes 7.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle and emits 167g/km of CO2.Standard gear in the S includes a 4.0-inch LCD driver’s instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch multimedia screen, over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, rear-seat air vents and USB-C ports, digital radio, customisable driver profiles and manual air conditioning.You can opt for a 'Safety Pack' ($2100) that adds a 12.3-inch instrument display, a 5.0-inch air con display, dual-zone climate control and an expanded AEB system with junction turning and crossing and direct/oncoming lane change detection.

The Cerato became a huge hit for Kia in Australia with more than 200,000 sold over 20 years. But Kia is replacing it with a new global small car, dubbed the K4. It is larger than the Cerato, and gets a big uptick in in-car and safety tech. Not to mention the radical redesign. But can it divert attention away from the still popular Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla?