Kia K4 5DR.
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These are just a few more and better quality photos than the ones I posted a while ago. Showing the hatchback version of the all-new 2025 Kia K4 sedan. Called “5DR“, I guess. A weird lazy name for such a cool car.
The more I look at it the more I really like it. It does have a super modern look that is both surprising and unexpected. I also detected how long the rear doors are, on both versions. Usually, the rear doors on smaller cars are much shorter than the front ones.
I also noticed when comparing the sedan and the hatchback, that the sedan isn’t that much longer. In other photos, the sedan seemed to have its hugely long trunk sticking out. When comparing both from the exact same angle, the hatchback model doesn’t seem that much shorter. Which is really nice.
We have no specs on the hatch model yet, but the sedan is 185.4 inches long. Which is actually only half an inch longer than the Honda Civic sedan. While the Civic hatchback is 4 inches shorter. This is quite surprising to me since the new K4 looks much longer than a Civc in these photos. And even the video I just posted.
I guess we are so used to the Civic being larger than it ever was we don’t even notice it anymore.
For the 2025 model year, the Honda Civic will get a few changes. From what we’ve seen, the front end will be very slightly revised. And the interior will probably won’t change. Nothing that will turn it into a truly modern-looking design. The main event will be the arrival of the Hybrid version in the US, finally. After years of being available overseas. But our market is still late since a PHEV Civic is now available in China. That will probably take another few years to come over here. Maybe for the next generation.
So far I see the Kia K4’s main problem as the lack of a Hybrid version. This is unacceptable from a brand that already offers many other hybrid and even PHEV models. The closely related Hyundai Elantra has a hybrid version. Why not the K4? Especially these days when hybrids seem to have some kind of a resurgence.
It won’t be forever since they are aggressively pushing EVS, and Kia should enjoy it while it lasts…
Were they designed by some 1980’s French designers??
Think theclack of hybrid is poor, it would help with the jump to the full electric EV4, easier the next time.
This should definitely come to UK.
Hybrids are definitely the way to go, even if its not their only choice. There’s always gonna be that one special neighbor who buys the biggest truck to drive to his job as a [nothing that needs a truck]. He’ll try to push others around on the freeway with its mass. He’ll block driveways. He’ll rant against others as “sheep” or whatever is hurting his feelings that day. But that’s the sign of a small scared person in a big world. The rest of us DO see global warming effects and the impact it and inflation are having on our wallets. So instead of buying a massive truck, then complaining that someone raised gas prices… well, we choose a better option to reduce that spend. Its called intelligence. Learning and adapting by using real information. The price you paid at the pump this morning, that’s real info. Your friends on FB complaining and sending memes, that’s not real info. We made the choice as a couple 6 years ago that whenever we buy a new car, it has to get better mileage than what it replaced. I’ll personally take the hybrid and will spend less/burn less fuel every time- even in a compact entry level car. Honda and Toyota are taking notice of this trend. Hyun/Kia/Gen should too.
I’m not crazy about either version really, but of the 2, hands down the hatch is a much more cohesive design, especially when it comes to the quirky C-pillar treatment which to my eye looks like it belongs on 2 seperate cars on the sedan.
The exterior design of the 5-door is definitely the better looking of the two body styles (the sedan is awkwardly proportioned and hopelessly hideous). I think the 5-door would have looked even better if Kia would have dispensed with the cheap looking faux floating roof treatment (a design element that I would completely abolish) and allowed the metallic garnishment to surround the side windows. I think this would have made it look much classier and a little more upscale.
I still think the current ProCeed and XCeed are much better designs, even though neither one probably offers as much interior space as this new K4 5-door (and neither are offered in the United States). At the very least, I will say that the K4 5-door is not nearly as unfortunate looking as its sedan counterpart.
There’s a reason Honda is being slower to roll-out BEVs, PHEVs, and hybrids. They preceded the market a few times with the Insight hybrid and the Clarity PHEV and BEV – neither did well. So, they’re letting the timing come to them for the US market, which is smart. They’re cleaning up sales-wise. This Kia, however, seems like an act that’s already old and late. Now, onto the design: they need a Dir of Design that can edit these so they look modern, not just jumbled and fragmented.
I like the hatchback better ! Both styles are super modern.