I’m going to be renting a
couple of car from Hertz over the next month during out-of-town trips, and in both cases I have chosen a Kia K4.
That’s a testament to the pleasing experiences I have had in
driving in all iterations of the vehicle.
Kia is in the midst of launching the K4 hatchback, which offers up an even roomier version of the K4 sedan, which I first drove in December 2024.
I got to
spend some time in the 2026 K4 hatchback GT-Line Turbo, and it did not disappoint.
While the exterior is a refined “Interstellar Gray,” the interior is a very
sporty and stylish black/red SynTex (synthetic leather.) If you want to attract attention from the get-go, there’s an exterior color called “Sparkling Yellow.”
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The Kia K4 sedan and hatchback share the same wheelbase, tech, and engine options, but differ significantly in utility and design.
The sedan is still a good pick
for some — it offers sleeker styling, a slightly lower starting MSRP, and marginally better fuel economy.
But I am all about cargo space, and that’s where the hatchback
really delivers. While the sedan features a traditional trunk (14.6 cu ft). The hatchback offers 22.2 cu ft behind the rear seats, expanding to over 59 cu ft with seats folded, making it easier to
load bulky items like dog crates.
Even with all that room, the hatchback is roughly 11 inches shorter in overall length than the sedan, making it slightly more maneuverable in
tight city environments.
Both share the same rear legroom, but the hatchback's extended roofline yields better headroom for rear-seat passengers or "pawsengers" in their
crates.
The sedan is available in five trims (starting around $22,290), while the hatchback is only offered in the higher EX, GT-Line, and GT-Line Turbo trims (starting around
$24,990). I’d argue you definitely get what you pay for, and the hatchback is worth considering.
