Kia K4 Set To Challenge Volkswagen Golf In Global Markets
by AutoExpert | 25 July, 2024
Kia wants to compete with the Volkswagen Golf by introducing a stylish hatchback, the Kia K4. North America, Asia, and the Middle East will sell the new Kia K4 as a five-door hatch and the Skoda Octavia liftback. Kia offers 147-bhp 2.0-liter and turbocharged 190-bhp 1.6-liter petrol engines.
The new hatchback was spotted undergoing testing near Kia's Russelsheim technical center. Despite a Kia UK official telling Autocar that there are no plans to sell the car in Europe, it seems to be viable in this market.
Since 2018, the Ceed has sold successfully in Europe despite being older than its competitors. Jato Dynamics reports sales of 60,478 hatchbacks, high-riding Xceeds, and Proceed this year. The vehicle is comparable to the old Ford Focus (47,582 sales), Peugeot 308 (51,656), and Toyota Corolla (70,701). At the same time, the Kia Sportage sold 87,164.
As the Ceed has already been in production for eight years, a replacement is expected in 2026. However, Kia has not announced plans for a future generation, suggesting it may use other models to fill the gap. As an electric successor to the Ceed, the EV3 is 4.3 m long and 1.8 m wide and has five doors. However, EV sales in Europe have fallen short of many manufacturers' projections, so Kia may require a combustion-engined car to fill a Ceed-sized gap in its lineup until demand catches up.
Supporting a combustion-engined Ceed successor, Kia has promised to launch more hybrid vehicles globally to control variation in EV demand. By 2028, the K4 could be one of nine new automobiles with hybrid powertrains "across most major model lines globally." Meanwhile, Ceed's facility in Žilina, Slovakia, will gradually switch to making electric versions. Kia has stated that the facility will build the EV2, the flagship of their goal to sell 1.6 million EVs per year by 2030.
