Summary

• Kia’s model transformation continues in 2024 with the trendy K4 changing the forgettable Forte, showcasing a whole design overhaul.
• The inside and exterior of the K4 stand out with a putting design and trendy options, making it a aggressive choice within the compact sedan section.
• While sustaining conventional engines, the K4 gives improved dealing with, tech-focused options, and a refreshing different to SUVs within the passenger automotive section.

Kia will proceed its model transformation in 2024. As Kia’s automobiles obtained sleeker and extra trendy to take a look at. Its easy and forgettable emblem which was born out of its value-for-money picture, wasn’t any longer matching with its automobiles which have gotten sleeker and simpler on the eyes over the previous few many years.

Finally donning a brand new emblem in 2022, the South Korean automaker’s model transformation is likely one of the most profitable within the automotive business. It’s not each time that an automaker, particularly one which already has a stable identification, does a whole 180 and fully transforms how the model operates and is perceived at this time. But that’s one thing price discussing later. What issues proper now’s the brand new 2025 Kia K4, a classy sedan that replaces the great, but not exactly memorable Forte.

In order to provide the most modern and correct info doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Kia and different authoritative sources, together with iF, and Car And Driver.

Design Is Now The K4’s Forte

While Kia’s compact sedan was known as the Forte, the present technology mannequin’s design wasn’t precisely its Forte. There’s nothing inherently unsuitable with the way it seems, thoughts you, however the present Forte doesn’t stand out both. This new K4, nevertheless, goals to fully rectify that, as it’s bringing new life to economy cars.

Striking And Distinct

Let’s first speak about its exterior, as a result of that is what instantly stands out. Let’s begin with its entrance finish, the place you are greeted by Kia’s signature Tiger Face design that is composed of putting “Start Map” L-shaped LED daytime operating lights and a skinny grille that is refreshing to see amidst an array of huge grilles as of late.

This entrance fascia theme makes up the model’s Opposites United design language, which is what you have seen in a variety of latest Kia autos. There’s additionally a vertical rear pillar that connects to the window line of the rear windshield, which then flows into the trunk lid, making a fastback profile. The C-pillar within the preliminary images seems disconnected from the remainder of the physique, however seeing it via extra images of a US-spec GT Line mannequin, all of it works so effectively, in my view.

Perhaps the most important shock right here is that Kia additionally confirmed a hatchback model of the K4, and sizzling dang, is not this physique styling a looker? The elongated roof and vertical C-pillar therapy work completely within the hatch, as if the K4 was designed first as a hatch with the sedan popping out final. Nevertheless, the K4 hatch is popping out after the sedan, which is due within the second half of 2024.

Also, That Interior Looks Swanky

That putting exterior has additionally been matched with an inside that appears putting and really trendy. Taking a web page out of the aesthetic playbook of the EV9, the Kia K4’s inside marries trendy styling cues with ergonomic performance. Kia says that they aimed to create a driver-centric inside with out isolating the remainder of the occupants.

To obtain this, Kia’s designers prevented the standard transfer the place automakers angle the automobile controls and screens in the direction of the motive force. Instead, via the usage of colours and textures, the motive force’s space is “technical and machine in character” via the predominantly grey and colorway, whereas the passengers’ space is “comfortable and human” with their part of the cabin having extra colours.

What additionally makes the inside of the Kia K4 as fashionable because it may get is the colour selections. Though it isn’t confirmed if all coloration choices will likely be bought within the United States, the K4’s inside coloration selections will likely be Slate Green (as proven within the global-spec non-GT Line fashions), Medium Gray, Canyon Brown, and Onyx Black (as proven within the US-spec GT Line images).

The inside makes itself much more inviting via the usage of ambient LED lighting, which is available in a mix of direct and oblique LED lighting as a method to make the K4’s inside an extension of your front room. Finally, the K4 has 38 inches of legroom and 37.3 inches of legroom, each of that are class-leading figures, in line with Kia.

Everything Else That Makes The K4 Worth It

Apart from the fully re-imagined styling that principally throws away the whole lot we have all the time identified concerning the Forte, there’s extra to the brand new K4 than simply seems. While Kia hasn’t revealed any of the technical or mechanical specs of the K4, we are able to already see a plethora of tech options that may make the K4 one of the vital tech-focused autos within the compact sedan section.

Award-Winning Infotainment

What’s a pleasant and classy inside in 2024 if it is not matched with tech that is helpful but intuitive? The aforementioned Kia infotainment system lately received an iF Design Award as a result of magnificence and usefulness of the working system, and that is what dominates the sprint of the K4. One of the the explanation why it has been praised is, regardless of the deliberate discount of bodily controls, Kia has preserved buttons for capabilities akin to ‘Home,’ ‘Map’ and ‘Search’.

Furthermore, there’s additionally a rotary controller (albeit smaller than a BMW iDrive-style controller) that allows fast, intuitive interplay with the automotive’s capabilities. Oh, and let’s additionally have a good time the truth that Kia has stored 4 bodily controls for the air-con.

Apart from the nicer infotainment, we are able to additionally see buttons on the motive force’s facet door handles, which include buttons for the heated and cooled entrance seats, two-person reminiscence, in addition to steering wheel heating. On the passenger’s facet are additionally buttons for the heated and cooled entrance seats. Finally, we are able to additionally see a provision for a windshield-projected head-up show. So sure, the inside of the brand new Kia K4 is not simply nicer to look and contact, but in addition full of extra tech than most of its opponents.

It Makes The Forte A Forgettable Car

Completely new from the bottom up, we anticipate quite a few enhancements within the driving expertise. Engines, nevertheless, stay largely the identical. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is inherited from the earlier Forte, nonetheless producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, and is mated to a CVT (branded as Intelligent Variable Transmission or IVT).

Splurging for the top-spec GT Line Turbo (there is a mid-spec GT Line with the two.0-liter non-turbo engine) makes use of the identical 1.6-liter turbo because the earlier Forte GT, however is barely much less highly effective at 190 horses (-15 horsepower) while producing the identical 195 pound-feet of torque. This mannequin additionally ditches the seven-speed dry dual-clutch transmission in favor of a smoother, extra typical eight-speed computerized.

It’s additionally price noting that splurging on the GT Line and GT Line Turbo fashions (as proven with the US-spec fashions with the amber LED daytime operating lights) not solely do you get a sportier set of 18-inch wheels, gloss black exterior accents, satin silver window trim, and extra aggressive entrance and rear bumpers, but in addition a multilink rear suspension which can undoubtedly provide a tangible enchancment in dealing with. Furthermore, all fashions get an acoustic windshield for much less wind noise, whereas fashions with 18-inch wheels get acoustic tires.

How The K4 Sets Itself Apart From The Competition

As the world continues to shift in the direction of SUVs and crossovers, it is nonetheless refreshing for an automaker to launch a compact sedan as of late. The Forte that the K4 is changing is likely one of the most reasonably priced new automobiles you would purchase at this time, and in contrast to the Nissan Versa and Mitsubishi Mirage, the Forte feels such as you’re getting a considerable automotive for the cash versus feeling depressing on account of your price range constraints.

It Keeps The Passenger Car Segment Alive

Speaking of sedans, it is uncommon as of late for an automaker to take the compact sedan–let alone the compact hatch section significantly, however Kia is not backing out of the section anytime quickly with the brand new K4. While crossover SUVs are ever more common, even on the worth level that the K4 is ready to compete at, there’s nonetheless a stable enterprise case for Kia to spend money on the section.

Full-year 2023 sales of the Forte were at 123,953 units, a 14 % enhance from 2022. This places it comfortably in third within the section, with the Civic selling 200,381 units, while the segment’s bestseller, the Corolla, sold 232,370 units.

But We Hope That It Will Be Offered As A Hybrid

Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any affirmation but about whether or not the K4 will likely be receiving an electrified drivetrain. This could be an amazing addition as it could’ve rivaled the upcoming Honda Civic Hybrid and the already fashionable Toyota Corolla Hybrid. It’s additionally most likely a missed alternative since its company cousin, the Hyundai Elantra, is already bought as a hybrid, and including that drivetrain to the K4’s platform could be a no brainer. Finally, you have most likely heard the information that hybrids are gaining in popularity these days, rising quicker even than EV gross sales.