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There’s a new baby in the Kia family, but it’s not the Rio - or not quite.
The 2024 Kia K3 is a sleek, fastback-style small sedan which the brand says will be positioned above simply a ‘budget option’ in the segment, but it’s only for select markets.
And while this small car looks the part, it won’t be available in Australia.
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Slightly larger than the Rio, the hatchback which Kia Australia has already confirmed won’t be renewed locally for 2024, the K3 is set to be built in the brand’s Nuevo Leon, Mexico plant in left-hand-drive only.
The K3’s selling point, according to Kia North America CEO Sean Yoon, is that it offers “design features and sophistication unprecedented in this class”.
"The K3 is also proof of our commitment to offering mobility solutions perfectly designed to meet the needs of each market and is recognition of the enormous growth potential of the Mexican market."
While it appears the model will be aimed at nations with developing new car markets, the K3 boasts a relatively impressive list of features for its class, including a combination of 4.2-inch driver digital cluster and 10.25-inch multimedia screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, two-zone touch automatic climate control, customisable ambient lighting with 64 colours and even a steering wheel inspired by the EV6.
It’s not lacking in safety features either, with front collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist and driving attention warning, depending on trim level.
Drivetrains consist of a choice of 1.6- or 2.0-litre engine with either six-speed manual or automatic transmission available in the former and six-speed auto in the latter, where the smaller engine makes 92kW and the larger 113kW. The brand says there will also be an “export-oriented” 1.4-litre engine.
The K3 will launch late this year, with information on specific markets to be confirmed in time - just don’t expect to hear much more about it here in Australia.
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