The cars are still good, my friends. The cars are still good. Earlier this week, Thomas posited that America might get the Kia K4 Wagon. I just saw it and it’s better than I imagined in almost every single way. Well, every single way but one, but we’ll get there.
Let it be clear that the K4, as an affordable small car that’s actually nice, is right in this site’s wheelhouse. The world needs more good cars that don’t cost two arms, a leg, and your dog’s tail. The K4 in sedan form costs a touch under $22,000 before delivery, so about $25,000 when you get fully into it with a few options.
I’m a fan of the sedan’s angular, slightly angry bug rear-end, but it’s not for everyone. You know what solves the problem of a controversial four-door? A fifth door! This thing rules.
What’s interesting from this perspective is that you can see it’s slightly shorter than the sedan, which is perhaps why Kia calls this a “hatchback.”
If you want to know how big the storage area is, here’s a quick photo of a guy slipping a camera in before the car’s handlers can push the flat-ish folding seat back up. In total, there’s 22.2 cubic feet of space in the hatch area.
The rear is interesting because it clearly borrows some of the angular taillight look from the larger Telluride.
As with the K4, there are a couple of options for powertrains. There’s a 2.0-liter that makes 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque paired to an “intelligently variable transmission (IVT),” which is like a CVT with a marketing account. The one you’ll probably want is the 1.6-liter turbo, with 190 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission in the GT-Line Turbo.
What we don’t have is a real price, but the range for the 2.0-liter sedan is $21,990 to $25,190 for the top-of-the-line GT-Line FWD, and $28,090 (pre-destination) for the 1.6-liter turbo. Assume a $2-3k premium, and that’s sub-$25k up to maybe $30k, though I’ll be happy to be wrong about that.
My one issue with the vehicle? They call it a hatchback when, as Jason would tell you, it’s really a wagon. It has glass over the cargo area, I think the roof covers more than half of the cargo floor, and it’s obviously a two-box design.
If this is the only issue with the K4 we have, I’ll live. Call a bratwurst a “wet finger” and I’ll still eat it.
I just can’t keep my eyes from drifting directly to the front door handles. They’re like big warts on anotherwise decent-looking 5 door.
I just drove halfway across the country and saw a lot of the sedan versions driving around… more than I would have expected. The taillights on the sedan look pretty cool at night.
They revealed this in March of last year, and that version had a better looking front end and some great wheels. I’m disappointed they dumbed down the front end a bit in this production model, and put it on top of these hideous black wheels. Maybe they’ll keep this cool yellow paint color ?????
Sorry. Not buying something from a company that makes engines that self-destruct.
I really wanted this to be electric.
Undriven, I’d take this over the Subarus profiled earlier today. Given the number of miles I’ve put on my Honda it nine years (63K), I’d take my chances on Hyundai/Kia engines with a 10-year/100 K warranty.
Sorry, but historically a sedan-based wagon maintains the same rear overhang as its sedan counterpart. The K4 hatch clearly violates this guideline—hence, it is not a wagon.
It’s funny to see the design tricks they used to not make it look less like a wagon, like the insanely long rear doors and small quarter glass with a really thick D-pillar + door. Shorten the rear door, extend the quarter glass further, and it’s a bona fide modern sports wagon.
Agree from a styling POV, but from a usability perspective, you want that wide rear door when you’re getting either kids or those with limited mobility in and out of that back seat. I own a 24 Sportage with similar doors and it is a big plus to have easy access to the back seat. Way easier than my previous 2018 Sorento, which had a much smaller door opening.
Surprised at the optimism here for how well this thing will sell.
Hyundai/Kia offered basically the same product as the Elantra GT / Forte5 with 201 HP and nobody bought it.
Great car though, I owned one, I’m sure this one is also great. One of the better looking cars available also imo.
Yay! Actual color!
Will it come in brown?
Definitely looks better than the new Outback.
I would have been all over this if it was an EV, and if I hadn’t just leased an EV6. The 6 is a nice vehicle, but just a smidge too large for our limited street parking spots.
So, they built a Chevy. Cool.
I was ’bout to show up and say just that, this looks like a Trax. Which is fine, but you can get one of those without a CVT from the bowtie guys, and it even comes from the same country if that’s your thing.
If only the RS packages of the Trax came with 3″ lower ride height.
If only all crossovers came with 3″ lower ride heights.
Unless they said they’ll import the K4 hatchback from Korea it’s more likely coming from Mexico alongside the sedan.
How does it compare in size say a Protege5? Or for a more current reference, compared to a current Corolla Hatchback?
If they’d extend the hood another 8-12 inches and offer up the twin-turbo 3.3L from the Genesis models, then they’d have a true winner. Just make sure it is not paired with the CVT.
It’s transverse, so they probably wouldn’t have to add all that much more room. A little length and a little width and Bob’s your twin-turbo V6.
The shooting brake profile looks better with a long hood IMO. Maybe not everyone shares that same view though.
this does look really good, and with how the styling with the rear windows works so well here, there’s no way the sedan wasn’t a slap dash compromise or something that they were forced to put out.
I love a little wagon, I’m gonna buy one.
Are we sure the roof covers more than half the cargo area? I think maybe the spoiler up there is making the roof look longer than it is.
This looks way better than the sedan, almost makes me think they styled the hatch first and then cut it down
Reminds me of the gen 3 Ford Focus (of which I had the base SE model so I could get a manual). It was clearly designed as a hatch first and looked great, and then begrudgingly turned into a sedan for the US market.
There’s also always been a rumor that the 700/900 Volvos were styled as wagons primarily and the sedans were an afterthought, that one might not be true, but that is another one where the long roofs just have better lines
Will Hyundai sell a rebadged version of this?
Not likely given that would step on the Kona more than Kia is worried about stepping on the Seltos. Same reason why Elantra has an HEV and Forte/K4 doesn’t