Louth Motors: Kia K4 picks up where Ceed left off
Kia’s new K4 gives us space, value, looks and proves there's still a need for petrol cars
Kia’s range continues to expand its range and this week we have the new K4 for review. It’s the successor to the ceed which I have fond memories for being a car for the masses, reliable, had the 7-year warranty and I know quite a lot of people who bought one after I advised them to take it for a test drive before deciding what car to buy next.
I even got some of them to convert to an estate / SW version which sold well due to a marketing strategy that offered the estate for the same price as the saloon. Kia has identified very strongly as an electric brand in Ireland but they haven't distanced themselves entirely from the petrol, non-SUV buyers.
There is still a market for a petrol hatchback and the engine inside the K4 is a 1.0 TGDi putting out 115 ps.
It could do a bit more oomph because when four or five adults are on board it feels a bit underpowered.
And for sure I was looking forward to my time with the K4.
In advance I knew it was quite a spacious car with quite a long wheelbase promising comfort and refinements.
It could easily fit in the electric range looking like their offerings in that space because it is a modern and futuristic design.
It also promised good fuel economy. During my test I managed between 5.4l/100km and 7.1l/100km so not bad compared to the Kia figure of 5.8l/100km for the combined cycle.
When I collected the car I was a bit disappointed in that I was expecting a manual but mine was automatic.
I can't explain how rewarding it is to drive a manual when you spend most of your time in cars with automatic gearboxes.
The sense of me driving the car is better than the sense of me selecting the drive and letting the car do the rest.
In automatic mode it probably does it better than me but you’ve lost that connection with the car and it reduces the drive to a function rather than a skill.
Don't misunderstand me, when you are in stop-start traffic, an automatic is the best choice.
If you want the automatic in the K4 then you have to get the GT Line model which is €7,000 more than the entry K2 model with the same engine - all K4’s have the same engine.
You get a lot more for that €7,000 like ventilated seats and a sunroof. I’m still flummoxed by the fact that the Kia K4 trim levels are called K2 and K3 so you can order a Kia K4 K2 or Kia K4 K3.
The K3 is probably the pick because it gets a better spec but you still get the manual gearbox - all for €34,000.
The automatic box in the K4 was a no nonsense affair with a chunky selector shifter that tempted you to rest your left hand on it all the time.
I succumbed myself as the K4 was such a relaxed and easy car to drive. The transitions were smooth and imperceptible.
I can't say the same for the transitions between various road surfaces because they were not handled as well as expected and felt subpar.
Now it’s not in any way a dealbreaker but I would have expected Kia to have this honed in a car that replaces the ceed.
Passenger space is probably the most for a car in this segment and you really feel like you are getting Mondeo space for Focus money.
No cribs from any of my passengers at all. Headroom was good too but the space for your legs and shoulders - the most important space - was generous.
The appealing sloping roof does not seem to have impacted a lot on the space you get and Kia deserves praise for this.
It also benefits from looking a lot lower slung and the rear has been truncated for a flatter look with an expansive rear lens that like all cars tries to be distinctive.
The boot in my mild hybrid version was 435 litres but this, I believe, reduces significantly(25%) if you opt for the full hybrid version when that arrives later in the year.
At the moment there are just three trim levels to choose from.
The interior of the K4 is where you’ll be impressed the most. It has a modern layout and mixes touchscreen use and physical buttons well.
It did not grate at all for me and my only real complaint is the look of the black plastics and screen after some use with smudges and fingerprints all over it.
Shiny black looks good but really isn't practical and you'd need to have the fortitude of a lab technician or open heart surgeon to keep the interior looking pristine.
The seat material was excellent and the soft plastics and metal effects felt good and upmarket.
Kia interiors really are lovely and you won't be disappointed.
The K4 isn't built for back-road thrills and the imprecise ride on our changeable tarmac proves that.
But for those not quite ready for an EV, or those without a home driveway charger capability (a must have if you own an EV), it offers striking design, class-leading space, and tremendous value for under €32k.
Supported by Kia's famous 7-year warranty, it's a sensible, handsome family hatchback aping the ceed did when it first arrived here.