The successor to the Kia Cerato is currently undergoing testing in Australia, signaling its imminent arrival in showrooms. Known as the K3 in Korea and the Forte in North America, the upcoming 2025 Kia K4 is poised to take over the reins from its predecessor.
Although the exact launch date remains uncertain, sightings of camouflaged prototypes on Australian roads suggest that the new sedan will feature a locally tuned suspension setup upon its debut.
Recent images obtained by CarExpert offer a glimpse of the heavily camouflaged prototypes. Despite the disguise, noticeable design cues include chunky L-shaped taillights at the front and rear, along with signature Kia-style wheels.
Similar to the recently unveiled K3 sedan, which is replacing the Rio in select markets, the K4 prototype boasts a sleek fastback-style profile, characterized by a sharply sloping rear roofline. Notably, the rear door handles are cleverly integrated within the C-pillar, distinguishing it from its larger siblings like the K3 and K5 sedans.
There’s speculation that a hatchback variant could follow suit, following the pattern established with the K3. Additionally, Kia may opt to merge the Cerato with its European counterpart, the Ceed, which is also due for a refresh.
The upcoming K4 appears to be larger than the current Cerato, reflecting the trend observed with the K3’s substantial growth compared to its Rio predecessor. In sedan form, it now stands just 95mm shorter than the current Cerato and 35mm narrower.
According to reports from the Korean Car Blog, the K4 will share the same platform as the Hyundai i30 Sedan. Following its corporate cousin, it may also offer a hybrid powertrain option to compete with vehicles like the Toyota Corolla.
Interestingly, the K4 moniker has been previously used for a sedan sold in the Chinese market from 2014 to 2020. Positioned between the Cerato and Optima in terms of size, this sedan catered to a specific segment of the market.
Despite discontinuing the Rio hatchback locally and foregoing the introduction of the Mexican-built K3, Kia remains committed to maintaining a presence in the affordable passenger car market segment in Australia.
Kia Australia’s chief executive officer, Damien Meredith, emphasized the significance of the small passenger vehicle segment to the company’s growth trajectory.
“Our small passenger cars – Picanto, Rio, Cerato – formed the foundation for our growth,” stated Mr. Meredith. He further emphasized the ongoing importance of models like Picanto and Cerato in sustaining Kia’s market presence in Australia.
“We are pretty confident that the Cerato and Picanto will continue to sell reasonably well over a long period. They’re one of our great strengths. Where other manufacturers deserted [the small car] segment, we kept on going in those areas,” stated Mr. Meredith.
Last year, Kia managed to sell 5795 Ceratos. Despite the brand’s overall success in the sales race, the rival i30 from Hyundai comfortably outsold the Cerato with 20,626 sales, even surpassing the Toyota Corolla, which recorded 19,986 sales.
