Kia unveils K4 hatchback to take on VW Golf, due in late 2025

Kia has unveiled its new K4 five-door hatchback, a model the automaker says is designed to sit as an executive-style hatch that will take on Volkswagen’s Golf. The K4 arrives in showrooms in the fourth quarter of 2025 and is positioned to fill the gap left by the Ceed hatchback, which was discontinued in Europe this summer. Kia stresses that the K4 is not a direct Ceed replacement but a model crafted to meet the needs of modern drivers while offering a choice of petrol and hybrid powertrains in an era of expanding electrification.

At 4,440 mm long, 1,850 mm wide and 1,435 mm tall, the K4 sits in the mid-size class while wearing a hatchback body. By comparison, the VW Golf measures about 4,282 mm in length, 1,789 mm in width and 1,483 mm in height. The entry K4 is powered by a 1.0-litre T-GDi petrol engine with an optional mild-hybrid variant delivering 113 bhp, available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission. A 1.6-litre T-GDi petrol engine offers either 148 bhp or 178 bhp and comes with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. A full hybrid option will arrive next year, with two electrified powertrains included among five offered in Europe.

Inside, the K4 borrows heavily from Kia’s EV push, drawing inspiration from the EV4 hatchback with a pair of large 12.3-inch touchscreens that blend into a single display panel on the dash. The cabin also features Kia’s Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), a powered voice assistant (“Hey Kia”), a Wi-Fi hotspot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Harman Kardon audio system. Physical buttons for climate control, audio and hazard lights sit in the centre of the dash, providing tangible controls alongside the digital interfaces.

Advanced driver-assistance systems include Blind-Spot View Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance, Surround View Monitoring and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, underscoring Kia’s push toward safety alongside technology in a segment where the Golf remains highly popular.

On practicality, Kia notes the K4 has 438 litres of boot space in its internal-combustion engine variant and 328 litres in the mild-hybrid version. The interior is designed to maximize legroom and headroom, with 1,074 mm of front-row legroom and 964 mm for the second row, and headroom of 991 mm in the front and 973 mm in the rear. Pricing has not yet been announced, but industry expectations place the K4 somewhere between the Ceed’s starting price, just over £25,000, and the Golf’s starting point, a little over £28,000.

Kia will build the K4 in Mexico, as the company shifts production of the EV4 hatchback to take over the Ceed’s production slot in Slovakia. Kia has also been spotted testing what appears to be an extended wagon variant in Germany, suggesting a potential estate version could follow, though that remains unconfirmed. The K4’s arrival signals Kia’s ongoing strategy to broaden its electrified and conventional lineups amid a competitive European market where traditional hatchbacks remain strong sellers.