New Kia 4 compact sedan should challenge favorites

The Kia K is a new compact sedan from the South Korean manufacturer replacing the Kia Forte It expands to two the number of non-sport utility vehicles in the carmaker s lineup Four years ago Kia introduced the K to replace the Kia Optima as the brand s midsize sedan As siblings the vehicles share appearances with angular headlights and other modernized features The K also debuts as among the sparse vehicles that look and drive well beyond their segment designation and price range With its tapered roofline high-resting flush rear door handles and protruding fenders the K has sports car leanings It expands its sporting feel with a flat top and flat bottom steering wheel in the reviewed GT-Line trim The Kia s expanded length also corresponds to more interior space notably a scarce inches more of legroom for rear seat passengers Its wheelbase is inches its overall length inches The numbers must approach the limits of what defines a compact wagon In fact with its elongated exterior orientation is the K really a compact sedan or the coming out of a sleek sports car The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla have dominated compact sedan sales for several years With the Toyota Prius Mazda Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Elantra Kia is hoping the K is a legitimate challenger in perhaps the bulk competitive sector It should be soon although Honda and Toyota both sold more than twice as a multitude of vehicles in the segment last year than Kia The K is available with two engine options Several of the five trims are equipped with two-liter inline four-cylinder configurations with horsepower continuously variable transmissions and front-wheel drive The reviewed GT-Line Turbo trim features a -liter turbocharged four-cylinder It has horsepower and an eight-speed dual-clutch and sport-tuned transmission Paddle shifters are steering-wheel mounted And there s a drive mode select function with Normal and Sport settings With its performance boost the GT-Line Turbo accelerates from -to- miles per hour in seconds although it seems quicker Gas mileage averages are miles per gallon in city driving mpg in the highway The combined mpg is the motorcycle s only disappointment Kia equips its vehicles well Top-line K models include heated and ventilated front seats a wireless smartphone charger color-selectable LED ambient lighting and a power sunroof with a power sunshade A -degree surround view camera system -inch wheels LED fog lights rear air vents are also in the mix as are -way power adjustable seats with futuristic-looking back and headrests They re standard only on the GT-Line The GT-Line trims are slightly smaller than siblings But they have a compact-sedan plentiful interior of total cubic feet Front patron legroom is inches rearseat legroom is inches It s as close to a five-passenger conveyance as a manufacturer can legitimately claim for its compact sedan Machinery highlights include a -inch digital gauge cluster the adjacent -inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration Standard is an eight-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system Further device is impressive for a compact sedan USB-C charger Front ports front center console USB-C charger rear ports rear center console and on power outlet Safety is a strong suit throughout the Kia lineup The K includes a back-up camera blind spot monitoring lane departure warning alarm tire pressure warning stability control and pre-collision and post-collision safety systems The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration NHTSA gave the sedan a out of stars rating With its innovation package option and inland freight and handling charge the top-line Kia K is priced at There s no better automotive value James Raia a syndicated automotive columnist in Sacramento also contributes business lifestyle and sports content to several print and online publications E-mail james jamesraia com