Kia reveals 'unique bodyshape' with K4 sedan

It is the first press day of the New York auto show and Kia has opted for this stage to give the K4 sedan its first public unveiling.

The design is puncuated by enormous headlights and the brand’s current angular, folded paper design language – although far less pronounced than its sister brand Hyundai. Presented on stage by design boss Karim Habib, he explained that the idea behind the K4 was to elevate the compact sedan segment with something that is “both rational and emotional; practical and dynamic.”

It becomes quite obvious that the K4 was previewed by the EV4 concept shown last year, with similar proportions and lines throughout (even if they are diluted somewhat for the production model).

The shoulder line is split in two, rising at the front arch into the window sill and returning back at the rear arch as it drops down from the C-pillar. From side and three-quarter view, it gives a touch of muscle to what is otherwise a clean, unimposing exterior. There is an air of Hofmeister kink to the C-pillar, created by the small ‘fin’ of bodywork that rises into the rear window, almost reflecting the line of the boot spoiler further back. Kia’s design team describe it as ”a modern and unique” body shape.

It should come as no surprise to see lighting play a central role to the exterior design. Here, the headlamps form an arrowhead that takes up much of the front wing, almost a combination of the vertical EV9 and horizontal EV6 designs, already introduced by the K5 and Carnival. “The mask is instantly recognisable,” noted Habib. A similar look is reflected at the rear, albeit much narrower and more L-shaped. Situated at the very corners of the car, they accentuate the hips of what is already quite a wide vehicle.

It is impressive once again to see the intentions displayed in the original sketches making it through to production, although we can’t help but feel larger wheels would complement its proportions a little better. All things considered, it continues a trend to revive the sedan as a segment, something that not long ago seemed to be dying out in favour of urban crossovers and compact SUVs. “The all new K4 is a testament to the future of the sedan,” said Habib, “and our belief that elegance and sportiness remain highly relevant.”

The “exciting” exterior paint options include Medium Gray, Slate Green, Canyon Brown and Onyx Black. We have also been promised a five-door hatchback variant, which was teased on screen at the show.

Inside, the width of the interior is empahsised by an expansive instrument panel, accented further by a wide central screen. In fact, this multi-segment display offers nearly 30-inches of digital instrumentation, and uses Kia’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit that first debuted in the EV9. The three-spoke steering wheel provides an uninhibited view of the instrument cluster behind. It would not be a product launch in 2024 without mention of generative AI, and it only took a few minutes for this to be mentioned during the presentation.

Drivers can use the prompt ‘Hey, Kia’ to access the voice assistant, which can handle things like climate control and audio. The AI element means that drivers can also have more of a natural conversation with the car, in theory, and has been designed to listen for follow up questions. Proposed examples include quesitons about stock prices, sports scores and access to owners’ manual content. Because why not?

Two powertrain variants are on offer, the standard 2.0-litre petrol with 147bhp, mated to a CVT gearbox (sigh), and on the the GT-Line a 1.6-litre turbo pushing 190bhp and 195lb-ft torque, teamed with an eight-speed auto. In a bid to further democratise active safety (and achieve top scores from relevant safety regulators), the K4 comes with 11 driver assistance systems as standard. The sedan is expected to hit dealerships in the US by Q4 this year.