Kia Jamaica unveiled its latest 2025 model, the K4 sedan, to specially invited guests and media on Thursday, July 10 at the AC Hotel Innovation Centre, Kingston.

“We’re very happy to have the K4 because there are not that many new sedans in the local market,” Allamish Crieghtney, sales manager, Kia Jamaica, told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

The K4 is a compact, four-door sedan that replaces the Kia Cerato, bringing updated technology and design.

Crieghtney has found that despite the never-ending demand for sport utility vehicles by Jamaicans, this has created an inverse interest in the traditional four-door sedan, and hopes the all-new K4 will fill that space.

“There are customers who don’t want an SUV; they want a sedan to take them through their daily life, and this K4 has the space to do just that,” Crieghtney added.

The most noticeable thing about the Kia K4 is its dimensions. Like many modern cars, it has grown to the size of a mid-sized sedan despite remaining in the compact class.

Looking like the Kia Optima of old, Crieghtney believes that this is one of the major factors that will draw buyers to the K4.

Beyond its class-leading size, the K4 debuts Kia’s new design language, as seen in the front and rear. The nose now features unique T-shaped LED headlamps with distinctive cube details. This harmonises with the new Star-Map LED taillight, making the K4’s lighting signature at night unmistakable. Similar effort has been made on the profile of the K4, giving it a sporty coupé fastback style, found on more premium models, providing another striking detail, the rear door handles. Unlike a traditional sedan, they don’t sit lower in the doors, but are placed right behind the windows.

Inside, the K4 features a clean, ergonomic layout, blending physical controls with numerous technology features placed discreetly within the ultra-wide panoramic display. No physical driver gauges, instead a seamless integration of the infotainment system and the instrument cluster, combining all the essential information for the vehicle into one place for a refined in-car experience. From the steering wheel, one is looking at a 12.3-inch driver’s cluster, a 5-inch screen for the climate controls, and a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. All modern forms of connectivity are available.

More immediately apparent is the fact that the external size extends into the cabin. There is plenty of room for all five passengers, plus a massive trunk. According to Crieghtney, this is more than enough to handle the needs of the average buyer.

Motivating the K4 is a fuel-efficient, 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, pushing 122bhp to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.

“We have two trim levels. The standard one we’re debuting tonight, which starts at $5.995 million and the GT-Line, which has the leather interior; that is not here yet. It should be available next month for $7.4 million,” shared Crieghtney.

Allamish Crieghtney, sales manager, Kia Jamaica, with the all-new Kia K4 launched on Thursday, July 10, at the AC Hotel Innovation Centre, Kingston. (Photo: Rory Daley)