Kia Will Eventually Bring the K4 Hatchback to America

The Kia K4 is a big step up in design from the brand’s outgoing Forte, but it turns out, it looks even better as a wagon-like hatchback. The last Forte came stateside without its five-door variant in tow, so the odds of that car actually reaching the U.S. market felt slim at best. Thankfully, Kia now says that those slim odds will pay off: The K4 hatchback is reportedly coming to America.

As Kia told Motor1, the K4 hatchback is entering the U.S. market “at a later date.” That means sedans will hit showrooms first, but buyers will eventually have a long-roof option coming. It also means that Kia is one of the few brands still making a five-door compact in America, although this K4 is certainly up-market from the sub-$20,000 Forte hatchback the brand last sold in 2017.

kia k4 5 door

While mass-market internal combustion-powered cars like the K4 are getting more daring in design like their electric counterparts, Kia’s performance focuses remain on electric variants like the EV6 GT that won its price bracket at R&T’s Performance Electric Car of the Year testing last year. That means the K4 sedan only comes with two engine options, a 147-hp 2.0-liter or a 190-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter. The less powerful engine uses a CVT, but the smaller and more potent option gets an 8-speed automatic. Those powertrains will likely carry over to the hatchback when it eventually reaches the American market.