An all-new The Kia K3 (also known as the Forte in other markets) has been revealed.
Many Malaysians are familiar with the Kia Forte from the late 2000s and early 2010s. This was a C-segment sedan that was priced close to popular B-segment hatchbacks at the time. It was perhaps the best-selling Kia model in Malaysia and owners still attest to its quality and reliability. Unfortunately, its successor model, the Cerato, was not quite as popular and Malaysia never saw the third generation of the Forte/Cerato, also known as the K3.
That might change with the introduction of the new fourth-generation Kia K3, which was just revealed today for the North American market. Here it will be sold with either a 1.6L engine or a 2.0L engine in a new GT-Line trim. As usual, Kia are pushing the boundaries of value-for-money, quality and equipment with this new iteration. Safety too is uncompromising with 6 airbags and optional ADAS available.
To keep the Kia K3 relevant, the new design adopts a fastback-style silhouette with an aggressive front end, sharp design cues and a distinctive LED daytime running light pattern. Kia only shared a conceptual render of the rear end, but it features a thin LED light strip, which is very much still trending.
On the GT-Line version of the K3, you can expect a more aggressive body kit and dual exhaust outlets. Strangely enough, the rims only go up to 17″ on this model. It is still a C-segment sedan in all other dimensions though. Take a look at the figures below:
- Length: 4545mm
- Width: 1765mm
- Height: 1475mm
- Wheelbase: 2670mm
- Trunk Capacity: 544L
The cabin is pretty impressive too. The dual 10.25″ displays of the infotainment system and instrument cluster are combined into a single floating screen. There’s also a new steering wheel design that mirrors what was put into the EV6. The rest of the dashboard is largely minimalist in style.
It comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual Bluetooth connectivity, and USB Type C ports for front and rear occupants. There’s also dual zone automatic climate control, 64-colour ambient lighting and rear air cond vents.
Under the hood, the reliable 1.6L four-cylinder engine is available with either a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. This unit puts out about 123PS. On the Kia K3 GT-Line, you get a 2.0L with the same 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. This unit has 152PS available. There will also be a 1.4L engine for certain markets.
In terms of safety, the Kia K3 comes with a reinforced chassis, 6 airbags, ABS, ESC as standard. In certain trim levels, ADAS is available, which includes the following features:
- Front Collision Avoidance (FCA)
- Lane Keeping Assist (LKA)
- Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist (BCA)
- Rear Cross-traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (RCCA)
- Driving Attention Warning (DAW)
What do you think of the 4th generation Kia K3? Should Dinamikjaya Motors bring is it or should they focus on EVs, SUVs and MPVs?
