Kia’s Latest Masterpiece: The K4 GT Line Aims High, Targets Elantra N

Kia’s Recently Revealed K4
Additional GT line launch confirmed
A teaser video was released and became a hot topic

Kia’s recently unveiled new compact model, K4, has attracted attention. This new car developed as a successor to the K3, will be focused on the North American market and will not be launched in South Korea immediately. South Korean consumers are very disappointed, but no one knows whether Kia will change its plans.

When it was first released, attention was focused on the K4 photos and several rendering images. This is because several differences between the actual appearance and the K4 in the photo were captured. With the prevailing view that it will be the K4 GT line, Kia has released a new teaser.

Mysterious Rendering Image
Matching Front Design

According to the foreign press Korean Car Blog, on March 25, Kia North America unveiled a teaser of the K4 GT line. According to a video on Kia North America’s YouTube channel, the front part of the K4, which looks similar to the rendered image, is slightly revealed. Unlike the regular K4, the large vertical air intakes on both sides of the front fascia attract attention.

The design has previously been applied to the EV9 GT line and Picanto (Morning for South Korean market) GT line, so it is not unfamiliar. In the case of the upper grill, the headlamp lines are naturally connected to expand the area at the bottom, and the tiger nose shape is also more distinct. In addition, the remaining elements, including the headlamp, bonnet, and side mirrors, appear to be the same as the base model.

Muscular Rear Side
Will Over Fenders Be Included?

The difference is even more noticeable on the side. Let’s look closely at the character line that runs across the door. It is generally similar to the base model until the Y outline begins, but the finish underneath is quite different. In the case of the base model, trapezoidal shading was applied, but in the case of the GT line, we can see that the front part of the first-row door has an additional curve. The side skirts were also changed to a protruding type, and details were added.

In the case of the rear side, it forms a sense of unity with the sporty image of the front. Vertical deflectors (reflectors) are applied to both ends, and fins reminiscent of a diffuser are located at the bottom of the bumper. In the case of a trapezoidal plate house, it is a more balanced appearance. It is unknown whether it will be applied to actual vehicles, but the wheel arch cladding in the shape of a bulged over fender emphasizes the high-performance sensibility.

Interior To Be Revealed Later
What are the expected differentiating factors?

The interior has not yet been revealed. If this teaser is correct for the K4 GT line, it is expected to differentiate itself from the existing K3 GT. The K3 GT has a 1.6L gasoline turbo engine that produces a maximum output of 204 horsepower, a maximum torque of 27.0kgf.m, and a dry 7-speed DCT. The front-wheel large-capacity brakes and rear-wheel multi-link suspension create a differentiated driving experience.

The interior has a leather steering wheel with a D cut only at the bottom and a dedicated semi-bucket seat. Red stitching is added to leather parts such as the door armrests, steering wheel, and transmission knob, emphasizing that it is a high-performance model. Although launching the K4 GT line in South Korea will be difficult, expectations are high as it has specifications similar to the Elantra (Avante for the South Korean market) N line.