2025 Kia K4 sedan: Cerato successor one step closer to Australia, hatch to follow
09/06/2024 03:00 PM
The Kia K4 sedan – which replaces the long-running Cerato – has been approved for sale in Australia ahead of its arrival early next year.
The replacement to the Kia Cerato small car has been approved for sale in Australia before its arrival between January and March 2025.
Government approval documents confirm the 2025 Kia K4 – the new name for Kia's global small car – will be offered with two familiar four-cylinder powertrains in Australia: a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre and a turbocharged 1.6-litre.
However, like the Kia Seltos and the related Hyundai i30 Sedan, the 2.0-litre in the K4 has been refined compared to the Cerato with an Atkinson combustion cycle and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) automatic replacing the current six-speed torque-converter unit.
MORE: Full details: 2025 Kia K4 confirmed for Australia to replace Cerato next year
While exact outputs for Australia remain unclear, the 2.0-litre K4 is expected to fall from 112kW and 192Nm in the current Cerato to around 110kW and 180Nm – but with improved fuel consumption numbers.
Meanwhile, the 1.6-litre turbo will be matched to an eight-speed torque-converter automatic, replacing the seven-speed dual-clutch auto found in the outgoing Cerato GT.
In the United States, the K4 GT-Line turbo has reduced outputs over the GT at 142kW and 264Nm – down 8kW and 1Nm – but it is unknown if this change will be reflected in Australia.
MORE: 2025 Kia K4 hatch unveiled to succeed Cerato, likely for Australia
Initially set to launch in sedan form – with a hatchback due later in 2025 – the new K4 is expected to offer several grades with the 2.0-litre petrol in Australia, along with a GT-Line flagship with the 1.6-litre turbo to replace the current Cerato GT.
It will now be sourced from Kia's factory in Mexico for global consumption, rather than South Korea where all previous generations of the Cerato have been made for Australia.
Australia and Mexico signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2018, which means – like South Korea – the K4 will not be hit with a five per cent import tariff, although shipping costs for the K4 are likely to be higher than the Cerato due to the extra distance needed to reach Australia.
As detailed here, the Kia K4 is a new car based on the same platform as the Hyundai i30 Sedan, with styling elements derived from other new Kias – including the EV5 and EV9 electric cars – and new technology, such as dual 12.3-inch widescreen displays running the latest 'ccNC' infotainment software.
Several new active safety features have also been added – including more advanced autonomous emergency braking, and traffic sign recognition with an overspeed warning to audibly warn the driver when the detected limit has been exceeded – while there are more airbags than before.
The 2025 Kia K4 sedan is due in Australia in the first quarter of next year, pending any delays, with the hatchback version due to follow later in the year.
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