2026 Kia K4 Hatchback First Look

Kia sees gold in the compact hatchback segment.

Andrew Ganz | 

Apr 16, 2025 | 3 min read

Kia

After exiting the compact hatchback space in 2018, Kia has once again delivered another small, practical five-door. The 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback made its debut at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, and is the spiritual successor to the Kia Forte5.

Kia

2026 Kia K4 Hatchback: Design

From the front, the K4 Hatchback is a dead ringer for the K4 sedan, but its long roofline tells a very different story. After peaking above the front seats, the roof arches gently rearward before dropping off abruptly. Small windows just behind the rear doors give way to a wide roof pillar accented with a black band for a "floating roof" look.

The rear end features big, C-clamp-like taillights that spring from the wide rear fenders. Sporty GT-Line models get 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels that sit beneath gloss-black wheel arches, while 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels are standard.

The K4 Hatchback is nearly a foot shorter than the sedan, though Kia says it retains roughly the same passenger space as the four-door. Its tall cargo area serves up 22.2 cubic-feet of space with the second-row seatbacks upright; fold them and that space grows to 59.3 cu-ft.

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2026 Kia K4 Hatchback: Power and Performance

The hatchback model shares its engines with the sedan. Base trims have a 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 147 horsepower, which goes to the front wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission. The GT-Line Turbo trim level swaps in a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder rated at 190 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The K4 Hatchback will not be available with a manual transmission. However, the GT-Line versions have a firmer suspension than the standard setup, and the turbo model has robust 16-inch brakes to help rein in its extra power.

Kia

2026 Kia K4 Hatchback: Features and On-Sale Date

The K4 Hatchback offers many tech and luxury features, which is key in a segment that also includes big players such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla hatchbacks.

Top-end versions of the K4 Hatchback feature a large glass sunroof, Harman/Kardon speakers, and the automaker's SynTex synthetic leather upholstery over heated and ventilated front seats.

In terms of tech, the K4 has two screens housed in a single panel for the instrument cluster and infotainment system, which has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality and an AI virtual assistant that responds to "Hey Kia" prompts. Some versions will include a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, and navigation.

The K4 Hatchback's driver-assistance suite includes standard adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality and lane-keeping assist. Kia's Highway Driving Assist 2, which provides hands-on, semi-autonomous functionality, is available.

Kia has not said what the K4 Hatchback will cost; for 2025, the sedan ranges from about $23,000 to more than $32,000 with optional equipment. The new hatchback is set to arrive in dealerships later this year.

Andrew Ganz

Andrew has been hooked on cars since his mother coaxed him into naps by driving him around in her rattly old diesel Mercedes-Benz. Perhaps it was the diesel fumes that lulled him to sleep. Either way, he has since parlayed his automotive enthusiasm into a decades-long career as a journalist writing for such well-known sites as Auto Express, Autoblog, Car and Driver, Leftlane News, Motor1, Motor Authority, and The Car Connection, not to mention numerous classic-car publications. When he's not researching cars, he's probably working on one — though he has yet to own a diesel Mercedes. Off to the classifieds he goes.