Kia set to broaden range with new K4

Kia will offer buyers a new combustion-engined model with its K4.

‘Leveraging Kia’s international production capacity’, the K4 will be built at the Korean brand’s new facility in Mexico and will aim to give buyers an alternative to the largely electric-focused line-up that the firm offers.

Launching with both petrol and petrol mild-hybrid setups – alongside manual and DCT automatic transmissions – the K4 will also get a full-hybrid powertrain later on.

The exterior features hidden door handles integrated into the C-pillar of the vehicle, while a new Sparkling Yellow colour arrives as an exclusive to the K4. Dimensions-wise, the K4 measures in at just over 4.4 metres long and 1,8 metres wide and Kia has stated that it won’t act as a replacement for the XCeed.

Inside, there’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a primary infotainment system of the same size, as well as a 5.3-inch climate display. A new digital key system also allows a user’s smartphone to double as a key for the vehicle.

Standard petrol cars offer a 438-litre boot – or 1,217 litres with the rear seats folded – though mild-hybrid versions suffer a space penalty, with luggage room dropping to 328 and 1,107 litres respectively due to the fitment of the batteries.

Each K4 comes equipped with a broad range of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) as standard, including blind-spot view monitor, blind-spot collision avoidance assist and rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist, among other features.

Full UK pricing and specifications for the new K4 are expected to be announced shortly.