Kia used this week's 2024 New York auto show to introduce the new K4 compact sedan, which will replace the Forte when it arrives in showrooms in the second half of the year as a 2025 model.
During the introduction, Kia presented a video that showed a hatchback version of the K4, a body style that Kia discontinued on the Forte in 2018.
The video is below and shows the hatch at the 10:15 mark, along with some comments from design chief Karim Habib.
Motor1 has learned that Kia plans to sell both body styles in the U.S. Habib referred to the hatch as the K4 five-door, a name it might carry into production. The previous Forte hatch was known as the Forte5.
The hatch will presumably feature the same specifications as the sedan, though likely with more storage space. The sedan measures 185.4 inches long, making it almost three inches longer than the Forte. Hatchback versions of the same vehicle tend to be shorter.
Kia confirmed two powertrain options for the sedan, both of them gas units. The standard engine is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder rated at 147 hp, while a 1.6-liter turbo-4 rated at 190 hp will be available. The naturally aspirated engine comes with a CVT, while the turbocharged engine comes with an 8-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard for both powertrains.
Kia will also offer an electric hatchback similar in size to the K4 hatch. It will go by the name EV4, and a concept of the same name that was shown last year hints at the design.
