How Much Is the 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback?
Key Points
- All-new hatchback version joins K4 sedan
- Shorter in length but more spacious than K4 sedan
- Only available in three uplevel trims
- Pricing starts at $26,085 (all prices include $1,195 destination charge).
Kia just launched the compact K4 sedan for the 2025 model year, with a new face and a new name to replace the Forte. For 2026, the K4 Hatchback joins the lineup. It’s mechanically identical to the sedan but is only available in the three highest trim levels from the 2025 sedan lineup, so while it doesn’t land among the 10 cheapest new cars in the country, it is close. Kia hasn’t released pricing on the K4 sedan for 2026, so we don’t know yet exactly how the two body styles will stack up dollar for dollar.
Related: 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback Up Close: More Than Just a Body Style Change
Release Date and Pricing
The 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback will go on sale in early 2026. Full line pricing is as follows:
- EX: $26,085
- GT-Line: $27,085
- GT-Line Turbo: $29,985
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Trim Levels and Safety Features
The entry-level K4 Hatchback EX rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and includes LED exterior lighting and keyless entry and start. Inside, the EX is upholstered in synthetic leather and features heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging and a six-speaker audio system.
Kia’s Drive Wise safety suite is standard on the 2026 K4 Hatchback. It includes forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-centering steering, blind spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver attention monitor and automatic high beams.
Kia fits the GT-Line with a more sophisticated (and expensive) multilink rear suspension for improved ride and handling balance, as well as 18-inch wheels. The GT-Line also gets gloss-black exterior trim and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.
In addition to its more powerful engine, the GT-Line Turbo features black 18-inch wheels, a moonroof, and upgraded LED headlights and taillights. Cabin upgrades include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, metal pedals, navigation and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.
Only available on the GT-Line Turbo, the Technology Package adds Kia’s Highway Driving Assist 2 semi-autonomous driving technology; front cross-traffic alert; oncoming traffic detection; emergency steering assist; a 360-degree camera system with blind spot cameras; and front, side and rear parking sensors.
Powertrain Specs and MPG
Like the K4 sedan, the hatchback’s EX and GT-Line are powered by a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 132 pounds-feet of torque. Power travels through a continuously variable automatic transmission to the front wheels only. Kia says the EX and GT-Line both return an estimated 28/34/30 mpg city/highway/combined (official EPA ratings are not yet available).
The GT-Line Turbo gets a 190-hp, turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder. Generating 195 pounds-feet of torque, it’s paired with an eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Fuel economy in the turbo K4 hatch lands at a manufacturer-estimated 26/33/28 mpg.
How Does the Kia K4 Hatchback Compare to the K4 Sedan?
The hatchback’s basic dimensions make a strong argument for the body style. It’s a full 11 inches shorter overall than the 2025 sedan and 0.4 inch taller, yet rear-seat passengers enjoy an extra inch of headroom in the hatchback and an additional 1.3 inches in variants with a moonroof. Legroom, shoulder room and other critical dimensions are otherwise the same between the two K4s. At 22.2 cubic feet, per Kia’s measurements, the hatchback’s cargo hold is 7.6 cubic feet larger than the sedan’s trunk. The hatchback is roughly 50-75 pounds heavier than the sedan, depending on trim level and equipment.
The trade-off for the increased interior room is fuel economy. Although their powertrain specifications are identical, the hatchback is less efficient than the sedan, likely due to its less aerodynamic shape. With the 2.0-liter engine, the 2025 sedan betters the hatch by 1 mpg in the city, 5 mpg on the highway and 3 mpg combined, returning 29/39/33 mpg (official EPA ratings for the 2026 sedan are not yet available). The turbocharged sedan’s 26/36/29 mpg is 3 mpg better on the highway and 1 mpg higher in the combined cycle.
Read More Kia K4 News on Cars.com:
- 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback Rounds Out Lineup
- 2025 Kia K4 Makes Style and Safety Its Forte
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2025 Kia K4?
- 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Review: Punching Way Above Its Price Tag
- Research the Kia K4
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