• Kia has revealed a brand new mannequin known as the K3. It is a small sedan that will likely be in-built Mexico.
• It is powered by both a 1.6-liter four-cylinder or a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.
• The K3 is slated to go on sale by the tip of the yr, making us assume it may arrive within the U.S. for the 2025 mannequin yr.

Kia has revealed a brand new small sedan that appears like a substitute for the subcompact Rio. However due to its identify, K3, we predict that it may also be changing the compact Forte—which is at present offered in Korea beneath the K3 nameplate.

Whereas we do not but have affirmation that this mannequin is coming to the U.S., we do know that the brand new K3 will likely be in-built Mexico on the identical plant that at present builds the Rio and Forte. Kia has additionally already filed a trademark for the K3 identify within the U.S. This identify change would align this new entry-level mannequin with the nomenclature for the bigger K5 mid-size sedan.

The K3 adopts a few of Kia’ newest design cues, corresponding to LED accent lights that stretch beneath the headlights as on the EV9 electrical SUV, and encompasses a modern-looking dashboard setup with giant digital gauge cluster and infotainment screens. The steering wheel is taken from the EV6 and there are interesting-looking patterns on the door panels and dashboard trim.

Kia says that the usual powertrain will likely be a 1.6-liter inline-four with 121 hp, which is at present the Rio’s normal engine within the U.S. The GT Line mannequin could have a 150-hp 2.0-liter inline-four, and a 1.4-liter engine will likely be provided in sure markets. We predict the two.0-liter powertrain is the most probably possibility for the U.S.-market K3.

There is not any phrase on U.S.-specific timing, however we predict we are going to hear extra in regards to the K3 quickly. Kia says that it’ll go on sale in some markets within the fourth quarter of this yr, which means that it may arrive within the U.S. as quickly because the 2025 mannequin yr.

Senior Editor

Regardless of being raised on a gentle weight loss program of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or maybe due to it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive trade all through his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He discovered a strategy to write about automobiles for the varsity newspaper throughout his school years at Rice College, which ultimately led him to maneuver to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first skilled auto-writing gig at Car Journal. He has been a part of the Automotive and Driver workforce since 2016 and now lives in New York Metropolis.