Honest John News New Cars

New Kia K4 takes aim at the VW Golf


Thu, 18 Sept 2025
  • All-new petrol-powered family hatchback
  • Replaces Kia Ceed
  • Mild-hybrid options, full-hybrid to follow
  • On sale later in 2025

This is the Kia K4, an all-new rival for cars like the Volkswagen Golf and a replacement for Kia’s previous family hatchback, the Ceed.

While Kia has released a steady flow of new electric cars recently, the K4 will be petrol powered, with pure petrol and mild-hybrid engine options at launch. Sleek looks and a load of technology and features as standard should make it a tempting alternative to the Golf as well as other rival hatchbacks like the Skoda Octavia, which like the K4 is large for this type of car.

The new Kia measures 4440mm in length, making it some 16cm longer than the Golf, and promises class-leading legroom in the back.

2025 Kia K4 prices and release date

2025 Kia KV4

UK deliveries of the Kia K4 are expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2025. Full UK specifications and prices will be revealed closer to the launch, but given the level of features in the car, competitive costs with the Golf seem likely. For reference, the Golf starts at £28,010.

2025 Kia K4 styling, interior and technology

2025 Kia K4

Recent Kias have not been shy when it comes to bold looks, and the K4 is no exception. Long and low, it features a floating roofline that flows smoothly into the rear hatch. The back door handles are hidden in the C-pillar for a more coupe-like look, and there are lighting designs that are clearly cut from the same cloth as Kia’s latest electric vehicles (EVs).

There’s a new exterior colour – Sparkling Yellow – and extra sporty touches on the GT-Line model, including gloss black mirror caps, wheel-arch mouldings and 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels, depending on spec.

2025 Kia K4 interior

Inside, Kia has gone tech-heavy with a panoramic digital display combining two 12.3-inch screens, one for the instrument cluster and one for infotainment. There’s also a 5.3-inch screen between the two, for adjusting the climate control. There are also physical buttons to jump between Home, Map, Search, Media and Setup pages, and toggles to quickly adjust the climate control temperature and fan speed.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and higher trims get extras like a Harman Kardon sound system, heated and ventilated front seats clad in a bio-based artificial leather, a digital key that lets you open the car with your phone, and a voice assistant.

2025 Kia K4 engines, performance and fuel economy

2025 Kia K4

There will be several powertrain options available on the front-wheel-drive Kia K4 at launch. The entry-level model is the 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine with 115PS, available with either a six-speed manual, or with a mild-hybrid system and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

For extra oomph, there’s the 1.6-litre TGDi petrol engine, which comes in two tunes – 150PS or 180PS – with the seven-speed auto transmission. A full-hybrid model will follow in 2026.

2025 Kia K4

How big is the new Kia K4?

The Kia K4 is rather large for this segment, with a length of 4440mm, a 1850mm width and a height of 1435mm. Kia promises class-leading rear legroom of 964mm, which would beat even the Skoda Octavia’s spacious back seats. Boot space is smaller though, with 438 litres behind the back seats on petrol models, and 328 litres on mild-hybrid models due to the battery packaging. That expands to 1217 litres and 1107 litres, respectively, if you fold down the back seats.

What other cars are like the Kia K4?

In many ways, the Kia K4 is positioned to compete directly with the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus, Hyundai i30, Skoda Octavia and other medium-sized family cars. By the time the range is expanded with the full-hybrid model in 2026, it should be well placed to take on a wide range of rivals, targeting customers that aren’t yet ready to make the switch to electric

When will we know how much the Kia K4 costs?

The full UK launch of the Kia K4 is expected in the fourth quarter of 2025, and we can expect to hear about full pricing, trim levels and detailed specifications shortly before then.

Ask HJ

Is there a model out there that can replace our Skoda Fabia Estate?

We would welcome your thoughts on a replacement of a 15 year old diesel Skoda Fabia Estate which is now economically unrepairable. It was a great car for the family as though small sized, the boot was large enough to take the baby buggy and more. Most SUVs don't seem to have such large boots, so they are looking at estates and probably a late model Fabia Estate before they were discontinued in 2021. Would that be a sensible decision if we can find one with the more powerful 110PS petrol engine as they do some long motorway journeys, though mostly fairly local?. The diesel is ruled out as the repairs needed now are due to the glow plugs etc, and they don't do the mileage to warrant the higher cost. Are there any other smaller estates like the Fabia which you could recommend, or do they need to look at a bigger car such as the Octavia as alternative?
Simply buying a newer Fabia Estate is a good call - there aren't many feasible alternatives, and we rate the Skoda highly. There's the Dacia Logan MCV which is a more budget proposition (and will feel so inside), or the newer Dacia Jogger, but not a lot else. An option between the Fabia Estate and Octavia is the Skoda Scala, which has a slightly smaller boot with the rear seats up, but with them folded the luggage space is similar. Otherwise, the smallest practical estate we can think of is the Hyundai i30 Tourer or Kia Ceed SW, although it's not drastically smaller than the Octavia.
Answered by Matt Robinson
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