KIA HAS WELCOMED A NEW NAME and a bold new benchmark in its passenger car line-up for 2025, the Kia K4.
Available in showrooms from late January, the K4 replaces the long-lived Cerato in the Kia Australia line-up.
Across its 20-year tenure in Australian showrooms, the Cerato attracted thousands of new customers into the Kia fold. With the introduction of the K4 nameplate, Kia Australia aligns with the global naming convention for Kia’s small passenger car.
Measuring longer, wider and lower than the outgoing Cerato, the K4 utilises a new platform and injects a sporty design, new technology and safety into the segment, while continuing to honour Kia’s pledge on affordability.
The K4 range will launch initially in sedan form only. A Kia K4 hatch will follow in late 2025, with specification details and pricing announced in due course.
The K4 sedan range will comprise four different trimlines from launch: S, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line. A 2.0L MPI engine powers S, Sport and Sport+ grades, while the GT-Line trim draws power exclusively from a more powerful 1.6L Turbo-GDI engine.
“The Cerato has been a huge pillar of Kia’s success in Australia since its introduction in 2004 and will reach 200,000 sales this month,” said Kia Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, Damien Meredith.
“We believe the K4 is a perfect fit for Australian tastes as the Cerato’s successor, complete with the right styling, technology, safety and driving characteristics to be competitive in this ever-changing landscape.”
Across all grades, the Kia K4 features an increased focus on driver safety, with standard range fitment of Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with Stop & Go functionality, Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Lane Follow Assist (LFA), Multi-Collision Braking (MCB), Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA), Driver Attention Warning (DAW), Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA), Rear View Monitor (RVM) and High Beam Assist (HBA). Furthermore, all K4 variants receive a full complement of airbags including a front Centre Side Airbag (CSAB).
A Safety Pack is available on the S trim, extending buyers the option of additional equipment usually reserved for higher grades. This includes an enhanced Panoramic Display which adds a second 12.3-inch instrument display and dedicated 5.0-inch HVAC interface, plus dual-zone climate control and an expanded AEB suite offering Junction Turning & Crossing and Direct/Oncoming Lane Change Detection functionality.
Furthermore, Sport, Sport+ and GT-Line versions of the K4 also incorporate Kia’s latest Highway Driving Assist (HDA 2), a technology that functions when driving on a freeway or motorway. HDA builds on adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, combining with Lane Following Assist (LFA) to keep K4 centred in the lane even when driving through a curve, whilst HDA 2 adds Lane Change Assist (LCA), allowing the K4 to autonomously change lanes when the required conditions are met.
Kia is currently working with ANCAP as it completes its independent crash testing assessment, with an announcement and rating in due course.
Small in stature, big on luxury
The Kia K4 adopts the latest infotainment and technology from the brand’s halo models, including the EV9 electric SUV.
Suitably appointed to the entry-level S trim is a digital driver cluster with a 4-inch multi-function LCD display however, once you add the safety pack option or move up to the other three grade options, taking pride of place on the K4’s expansive dashboard is a trio of screens, comprising a 12.3-inch digital cluster, a dedicated 5-inch dedicated HVAC segment display and a separate 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen display.
Elsewhere, the K4 incorporates Kia Connect, a connected car service which provides customer benefits in safety, security, convenience, connectivity, and LIVE services by using telematics systems to transfer real-time data, such as weather and traffic information.
Once again following in the footsteps of the Kia EV9, the K4 offers Australian consumers with Over The Air (OTA) software updates, which brings the latest maps, interfaces and software enhancements without customers having to visit a service centre.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard fare across the Kia K4 line-up, while the GT-Line takes things up a notch with fitment of a Qi wireless charging pad and ambient mood lighting as standard.
Importantly, Kia designers wanted the K4 to be approachable and easy-to-use, which is why the small car continues with a bank of hard-wired buttons and switchgear below the aforementioned screens on the dashboard centre fascia.
Rear seat passengers haven’t been overlooked on the tech front either, thanks to standard fitment of twin USB-C ports at the back of the centre console, together with rear air vents, and a handy storage cubby.
Roomy interior layout
The K4 embraces Kia’s latest design language with a bold and sporty exterior façade, punctuated by a sleek, fastback style silhouette and a lower roofline and lower beltline than its predecessor.
Inspired by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy, the K4 employs vertical front headlamps and Daytime Running Light (DRL) elements located at the outer edges to accentuate the car’s wide stance.
Similarly, the K4 incorporates Kia’s signature ‘Star-Map’ front and rear lighting graphics to align with the brand’s latest ‘Tiger Face’ styling.
Flush second-row door handles integrated into the car’s C-pillar underline the sleek side image, while black wheel arch cladding and wheel sizes ranging between 16-inch (S), 17-inch (Sport and Sport+) and 18-inch (GT-Line) lend the K4 a sporty on-road stance.
The K4 exudes a powerful presence from the rear, once again punctuated by vertical tail lamps and longer overhangs, plus an air diffuser on GT-Line and raked rear windscreen.
Dimensionally, the K4 measures 4710mm long, 1850mm wide and 1425mm high, and rides on a 2720mm wheelbase.
Inside, those dimensions convert to roomier interior proportions, especially with respect to rear seat space, where rear legroom has grown by 56mm. Front-row occupants also benefit from increased head and shoulder room proportions.
Additionally, the K4 boasts an increase in boot space over its immediate predecessor, with sedan variants offering a 508-litre layout.
The augmented interior space is complemented by a modern, refined interior layout complete with excellent incidental storage and quality materials, headlined by a Double D-cut steering wheel.
S and Sport variants employ cloth seats, while Sport+ and GT-Line upgrade to artificial leather.
GT-Line projects a sportier image, with embossed GT-Line details on seats, two-tone seats, and textured console crash pad. Added luxury is also assured with a wide, sliding-type sunroof that is exclusive to the flagship grade.
K4 embraces Kia’s ongoing efforts in sustainability, incorporating the use of the brand’s 10 ‘must-have’ sustainability items, including PP and Bio PE plastic, Post Consumer Material (PCM), Bio PU Leather, Bio PU foam, Bio Paint, BTX-free Paint, Recycled PET Yarns, and Recycled PET Felt.
The K4 arrives in Australia with a choice of eight exterior colours. New to the colour palette are Interstellar Gray, Fiery Red, Wave Blue and Honeydew. They join the familiar hues of Clear White, Snow White Pearl, Steel Gray and Aurora Pearl Black ($600 for Premium Paint applies to all but Clear White).
New platform and efficient drivetrains
The K4 offers improved body rigidity and NVH thanks to its use of high-strength steel and reinforced sound insulation.
The Kia K4 is offered with a choice of two petrol powertrains from launch. Opening the range is the 2.0L MPI, a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol that drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission with a torque convertor. It is fitted standard to S, Sport and Sport+ grades.
The 2.0L MPI produces 112kW and 192Nm and returns a combined fuel consumption figure of 7.4L/100km (WLTP).
The 2.0L MPI powertrain configuration is paired with a McPherson Strut front suspension set-up on the front axle, and a torsion beam (CTBA) configuration on the rear axle.
Exclusive to the flagship K4 GT-Line is the 1.6L T-GDI, a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder that drives the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter. All told, the 1.6L T-GDI produces 142kW and 264Nm and returns a combined fuel consumption average of 6.7L/100km.
The GT-Line combines the same McPherson Strut front suspension as other K4 models but brings added precision and agility with the installation of a multi-link suspension set-up at the rear.
The K4 is the recipient of an extensive ride and handling development program which tailors its driving characteristics to Australia’s unique road network.
Led by Kia Australia’s Chief Ride and Handling Engineer, Graeme Gambold, the K4 was first pushed to the limits at Kia’s global Namyang R&D Centre before being fine-tuned across thousands of kilometres testing on Australian roads, with countless adjustments to suspension, damping and steering tunes along the way.
“We aimed to make it capable not only in the urban jungle but, also refined on a long drive,” Gambold said.
“It does a great job absorbing bumps around town and controls its body well on challenging country roads, while offering decent feedback.
“We are confident the K4 matches its sportier looks out on the road, and Australians will appreciate the localised tuning.”
Pricing
| K4 S | K4 S w/Safety Pack | K4 Sport | K4 Sport+ | K4 GT-Line | |
| Engine | 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol | 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol | 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol | 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol | 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo
petrol |
| Transmission | Six-speed automatic | Six-speed automatic | Six-speed automatic | Six-speed automatic | Eight-speed automatic |
| Power / Torque | 112kW/192Nm | 112kW/192Nm | 112kW/192Nm | 112kW/192Nm | 142kW/264Nm |
| Wheels | 16-inch alloys | 16-inch alloys | 17-inch alloys | 17-inch alloys | 18-inch alloys |
| Fuel consumption | 7.4L/100km | 7.4L/100km | 7.4/100km | 7.4L/100km | 6.7L/100km |
| $30,590 | $32,690 | $35,190 | $37,590 | $42,990 |
All prices plus on road costs