► Kia’s K4 driven
► A new rival to the VW Golf
► Priced from £26k and larger than the Ceed it replaces
Kia’s been making headlines with its EV offerings in recent years, but it’s commitment to petrol-powered vehicles is still alive and well. The Kia K4 is a replacement to the Ceed hatchback and aims to tackle the Volkswagen Golf in a sector of the market that’s considerably lighter on choice following the demise of the popular Ford Focus.
Starting at just under £26k, the K4 undercuts the Golf by almost £3k and comes with an unrivalled seven-year warranty as standard, but can it match up to the Volkswagen’s consistently high levels of across-the-board excellence? We travelled to American to try a saloon version of the K4 (it’s hatch only in the UK, but the cars are the same underneath).
At a glance
Pros: Huge warranty, lots of space and equipment, excellent pricing
Cons: Fairly small range of engines, engine is noisy under power, not as refined as a Golf
What’s new
Confusingly, the K4 sits on the Hyundai-Kia K3 platform, also used by the Hyundai Kona. At 4,440mm long and 1,435mm high, it’s 16cm longer than the VW Golf but also 5cm lower. Excluding the door mirrors, it’s also 6cm wider than said German rival, marking a big jump in size over its Ceed predecessor.
As for engines, there’s a choice of three variants – namely a 113bhp 1.0-litre T-GDI three-cylinder with 48v mild-hybrid and a 1.6-litre T-GDI (without hybrid) that delivers either 147bhp or 177bhp depending on which you go for. The latter two get a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as standard, while the former is available with both the auto and a six-speed manual.
What are the specs?
Opt for the 1.0-litre T-GDi mild hybrid engine and 0-62mph takes 12.2 seconds and 12.3 seconds in the manual and dual-clutch automatic respectively. Meanwhile, the 147bhp 1.6-litre T-GDi and 0-62mph is completed in 9.1 seconds, with the 177bhp variant bringing this down to 8.4 seconds.
How does it drive?
The K4 is never going to be the first choice of driving enthusiasts but it does the basics well. Ride comfort is largely good, but sharper bumps and cracks in the road can find their way into the cabin with a noticeable jolt. Refinement, meanwhile, is OK although the engine roar is loud under heavy acceleration.
As for Kia’s seven-speed DCT gearbox, it’s not as crisp or responsive as the class-leading VW Golf’s DSG. However, it does a reasonable job and combines smooth shifts in auto mode with reasonable enthusiasm for manual overrides.
The engine we drove was the US variant of the 1.6-litre T-GDi making 187bhp – a little more than the UK variant. Again, it won’t set the world alight with its performance, yet the throttle response and overall power delivery is predictable, but also enjoyable. Flinging the K4 through a series of bends showcased a power unit that didn’t mind being revved, although front-end traction did sometimes suffer.
Finally, the K4’s handling is a pleasant surprise. The steering is light but still blessed with some feel, plus it’s plenty direct enough without being oversensitive. On the right road, there’s levels of fun to be had up there with the Golf. However, it has to be said that the rival from VW does deliver a greater and more polished range of driving manners, from easy-to-use around town to big-car feel on the motorway.
One feature that is especially welcome (and that we have seen before on Kia-Hyundai products) is the rear-side view appearing on the dashboard when indicating to change lanes. It covers your blindspot and only requires a quick pivot of the eyes to see if there’s anything lurking out of sight.
What about the interior?
Kia’s stuck a nice balance between screens and physical controls in the K4’s cabin. There’s no shortage of the former – a 12.3-inch driver display, 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen and 12.3-inch central touchscreen attest to this – but they’re balanced out with useful shortcut buttons for the climate control and menus.
On the US-spec version we drove, there’s even a large physical gearlever in the centre console. This will be present on the UK model, too and represents a significantly different approach to many rivals that have relocated the gear selector or made it far smaller.
The upside is a reassuring tactile feel, however the presence of the gear-lever has robbed a little storage space from the centre console. Otherwise, storage in the centre armrest, door pockets and glovebox is reasonable.
As for the infotainment system, the functionality is comprehensive and responsiveness reasonable. It’s not quite as slick as the Golf’s latest tech, but few will feel like they’re missing out. Some may find the climate screen blocked by the steering wheel, but it’s not a major issue.
Meanwhile, rear-seat space is ample with excellent leg and knee-room (the wheelbase is 70mm longer than the Ceed) and respectable headroom. However, we’re sure that the hatchback variant will deliver even greater headroom owing to the more squared-off roofline.
Finally, bootspace for the hatch measures up at 438 litres with the seats in place and 1,217 litres with them folded down (better than both the VW Golf and outgoing Ford Focus). This shrinks noticeably with the mild-hybrid powertrain, however, down to 328 litres and 1,107 litres.
Before you buy (trims and rivals)
The K4 is available in base-spec Pure, GT-Line and GT-Line S levels. Standard equipment on the entry-level Pure is above average and includes a three-screen dashboard layout, Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and 16-inch alloy wheels. Upgrade to GT-Line and heated front seats, driver lumbar support, rear privacy glass and electric driver’s seat adjustment are also thrown in.
Finally, top-spec GT-Line S adds a sunroof, front ventilated seats, heated outer rear seats, heated steering wheel, Harmon Kardon sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, forward collision-avoidance assist 2.0 and digital key 2.0.
Rivals aren’t as commonplace as they once were, but the VW Golf (available from around £29k), Vauxhall Astra (from around £26k) and Peugeot 308 (from around £33k) are the most obvious alternatives. None, however, can offer a seven-year, 100k-mile warranty like the K4.
Verdict
The Kia K4 is arriving at a good time for both Kia and car buyers looking for an alternative to the recently cancelled Ford Focus. The medium-sized petrol hatchback used to be a hugely popular market, but recent years have seen EV powertrains and SUV bodystyles eat into it.
However, there’s still plenty of demand and the K4 offers a safe, well-equipped, spacious option that’s available from a good price and delivers an unrivalled warranty. It’s unlikely to be anyone’s dream car, but the K4 performs its role in a highly convincing manner.
