► Here’s Kia’s new estate car!
► It’s petrol, and a manual gearbox is available
► Replacement for the Ceed SW
Kia is remaining committed to the European estate car market with the reveal of the new K4 Sportswagon.
Set to arrive in the UK later in 2026, it joins the K4 hatchback announced last year and puts a strong focus on interior space and technology for a reasonable price
Aiming to take a larger slice of the estate car segment than the Ceed SW it replaces, Kia will be hoping to benefit from the recent discontinuation of the Ford Focus with its new wagon.
Sjoerd Knipping, chief operating officer of Kia Europe, said: ‘By offering this wagon, we continue to show our ambition to provide practical solutions without compromising on innovation.’
The K4 Sportswagon is the first time Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design strategy has been implemented on an estate car, and unsurprisingly looks like a stretched version of the K4 hatch.
At the front, Kia’s trademark large lighting signature is present, along with a front light bar. Down the side, the rear door handles are ‘hidden’ within the C-pillar, while around the rear the large L-shaped lights stretch around the back of the car.
There will also be a GT-Line trim level, which is separated by its gloss black wheelarches and window surrounds, with specific alloy wheels and revised front and rear bumpers. The K4 Sportswagon measures 4,695mm, making it around 25cm longer than the hatchback. It’s also slightly longer than its core C-segment rivals, such as the Volkswagen Golf Estate and Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer, with very similar dimensions to the Skoda Octavia Estate.
The interior mirrors the K4 hatch, with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and digital instrument cluster of the same size. Between them sits a small climate screen display, as seen on other Kia models, such as the EV3. There’s also a rather old-school chunky gear selector on versions fitted with an automatic gearbox.
A wheelbase of 2,720mm should offer more rear legroom than the K4 hatchback, with the 604-litre boot having 166 litres more than the standard K4. It’s marginally down on the space available with a Golf Estate, and falls short of the 640 litres offered with the Octavia Estate.
At launch the K4 Sportswagon will be available with a choice of a 113bhp 1.0-litre petrol with a six-speed manual and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, the latter coming as standard with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
A 148bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, paired to a seven-speed automatic, is also available, while Kia has confirmed that later in 2026 it will introduce a full hybrid option.
Kia is yet to confirm full pricing and specifications for the Sportswagon but looking at the K4 hatch gives a good idea of what you can expect when the estate car goes on sale later in 2026.
There will be Pure, GT-Line and GT-Line S trim levels, with standard equipment including 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a reversing camera and a 12.3-inch touchscreen. GT-Line brings larger 17-inch alloy wheels, front heated seats, a wireless smartphone charger and part artificial leather upholstery. Top-spec GT-Line S models add a Harman Kardon sound system, ventilated front seats and a sunroof.
Prices for the K4 hatch start from £26,045, rising to £36,245 for a GT Line S with the 1.6-litre engine. Expect the Sportswagon to cost around £1,500 more.
New cars editor, car reviewer, news hound, avid car detailer
By Ted Welford
New cars editor for CAR and Parkers. Loves a car auction. Enjoys making things shiny
