The family sedan as we know it is dead.
For decades Australian families (mine included) favoured a four-door sedan for their transport needs. It made the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon Australian icons, while the Toyota Camry, Mitsubishi Magna and Nissan Skyline provided a more diverse choice for those interested.
These days most brands no longer offer either a mid-size or large sedan, with showrooms instead filled with SUVs of various shapes and sizes. Most brands, but not all.
Kia may have dropped the Stinger (and short-lived Optima) but it hasn’t abandoned sedans. The K4 is effectively the replacement for the Cerato, but it brings with it fresh looks and a surprising amount of space. By definition the K4 is a ‘small car’, competing against the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30 Sedan.
But like so many cars, these small sedans are not as small as they used to be. In fact, the K4 and i30 Sedan are borderline medium-sized. How big? Well, the K4 is only 18cm shorter than both the 2006 Holden Commodore VE and the final Opel-built Commodore from 2020. The wheelbase of the K4, which translates to cabin size, is only 10cm shorter than the final Commodore and just 19cm less than the beloved VE.
At 4.7m long and 1.8m wide, the K4 may be small by definition but is a roomy sedan that would have no trouble pulling family duties. So for those looking for family transport (or solo or couples transport) without wanting to go up into an SUV, the K4 sedan is a welcome alternative.
However, while it has grown in size it has also grown in price, with the range starting at a relatively competitive $32,090 for the entry-level S, but it rises to a not-so-small $43,790 for the range-topping GT-Line we tested.
For context, the Kia SUV most similar in size to the K4, the Sportage, is priced at $54,490 for the equivalent (albeit AWD) GT-Line variant. So you are saving quite a lot of money for a vehicle that is roughly the same size, just lower to the ground.
The K4 GT-Line is generously equipped too, so you don’t have that feeling that you’re driving a cheap, entry-grade car – which is traditionally something small sedans suffered from in the past.
What is very much a traditional sedan is the powertrain, the K4 is a front-engine, front-wheel drive vehicle – no ‘big six’ or rear-wheel drive option available. But the engine is a punchy 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit that makes 140kW of power and 265Nm. It’s paired to an eight-speed automatic that should make for a responsive and smooth driving experience, but the transmission can feel confused at lower speeds..
The GT-Line also gets a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension set-up, which translates to a responsive chassis, albeit one that can ride a little firm at times. But overall the driving experience of the K4 sedan feels more like a mid-size car than small cars of years gone by.
That impression is strengthened further by a roomy cabin that is well-appointed too. Kia offers loads of equipment on the GT-Line, so it feels like you’re driving the South Korean equivalent of a Calais or Fairlane.
It’s a shame that the family sedan has faded so much from the mainstream, and there will always be a certain type of people that lament the loss of the Commodore and Falcon. But for those looking for something modern that provides a similar experience, the Kia K4 is definitely worthy of a closer look.
Its combination of space, dynamics and value make it a modern family sedan that sticks out like an island in a sea of SUVs.
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