The previous Kia Forte was only available as a sedan in the United States. However, its competitors, such as the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, and Toyota Corolla, offer a hatchback version as well. The K4 will also feature this body type.
The K4 hatchback stands apart from its sedan counterpart post-B-pillar. It features a floating roof, chrome trim around the rear window and D-pillar, LED taillights that stretch nearly the width of the car, and an upright hatchback shape promising ample cargo space.
The hatchback is expected to share its powertrains with the sedan. This means that it will offer a 147-hp naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four in lower trims and a 190-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four in the GT-Line Turbo model.
While Kia referred to it as the K4 5-door hatch at the auto show, there is speculation about what its official name will be upon release. Previous naming conventions for Kia hatchbacks included Rio 5 and Forte 5, hinting at potential naming patterns but leaving room for surprises.
Kia announced that while the sedan version of their new model line will hit U.S. markets in the second half of this year, the hatchback variant is expected at the end of this year or early 2025. More details will be available in the coming months.
Source: Kia