Tencent test drives the comeback of Kia's new K3 Han Fan'er youth

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

In our impression, in recent years, Kia Motors has become more and more determined on the road of youth and sportiness, and more and more new models have been introduced, from which it is not difficult to see that Kia hopes to reverse the unfavorable situation in the Chinese market and regain the glorious vision and determination of the past, and the compact car market segment has always been a battleground for major car companies, as Kia's main force in the field of compact cars, this generation of K3 has been around for nearly 4 years since its advent in 2019. A major upgrade must also be put on the agenda, so there is our protagonist today - the new K3.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

As a mid-term facelift model, the improvement of the new K3 is still more comprehensive and obvious, and the new car will provide 7 body colors, including Star Yellow and Interstellar Gray, so as to give consumers, especially young people, more personalized choices.

Tencent test drives Yukia's new K3

In terms of body size, the new K3 still has the standard size of a compact sedan, only 6mm longer than the current model, the specific length, width and height parameters are 4666x1780x1450mm, and the wheelbase is 2700mm, which is roughly at the same level as competitors.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The front part still has the signature design elements of the Kia brand, but the Tiger Roaring front grille is further narrowed in height and has a concave shape, which reflects a stronger sense of three-dimensionality, and the overall style is closer to that of the big brother K5.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The shape of the headlights is obviously uplifted, and the middle net forms an integral design, but also stretches the horizontal visual width of the front of the car, the daytime running lights are highly recognizable, the new K3 will be equipped with LED light sources as standard in the whole series, and the high-end model also provides adaptive high and low beam functions.

Tencent test drives Yueda Kia's new K3

On both sides of the front bumper, there are also these two cut-out designs, although for compact family cars, the decorative effect is definitely more obvious, but it can also play a certain aerodynamic optimization effect.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The side of the body basically maintains the style of the current model, which belongs to a more attractive style, the new model has a longer front overhang and a shorter rear overhang, thus achieving a more balanced visual proportion and balance, and chrome trim on the edge of the window enhances the refinement.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The test drive offers 17-inch wheels, a petal-like style that highlights the design, and a two-tone combination is also a popular method, and the standard tires are from the Kumho brand, and the specifications are 225/45 R17.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The changes at the rear of the car come more from the adjustment and optimization of details, which looks more integrated, the reflective strips on both sides of the rear bumper of the current model have been removed, and the shape of the diffuser at the bottom of the rear has been further increased, but the exhaust still adopts a hidden design.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The taillight still adopts the popular through-through style, and there are not many changes in the shape, but the shape of the light strip in the lamp cavity has become more simple, unlike the current model, which is a bit complicated, and has a good visual effect after being lit.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

Compared with the exterior, the new K3 is not so obvious in terms of interior changes, more is the adjustment and optimization of details, the upper body dashboard is mostly covered with soft slush material, in addition to the real shot interior will have a more dynamic black and red color contrast.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The three-piece steering wheel can be provided with a round bottom and a flat bottom, wrapped in leather, the grip is still relatively solid, of which the 1.4T model is also equipped with paddle shifters, and the steering wheel heating function of the high-end model is also practical in winter.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The size of the full LCD instrument is 10.25 inches, and the UI style still has the characteristics of Kia, which can provide relatively rich driving information, and the display effect of the instrument will change accordingly in different driving modes.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The central display adopts a floating design, the size is also 10.25 inches, the touch response is still relatively smooth, the car is equipped with Kia Connect system, which can support navigation, voice control and other car networking functions, and standard Baidu CarLife system.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The air conditioning and multimedia operation area are integrated on a touch panel, the position design is a little low, the button size is relatively small, and does not provide vibration feedback, in fact, I personally think that it may be more convenient to design physical buttons here.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The new K3 provides a relatively rich charging configuration, with a USB port, a Type-C port and a 12V power interface in the front, and is equipped with a mobile phone wireless charging pad, which is very convenient for charging mobile devices on the go.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The panoramic sunroof did not appear, but it was a more conventional size, with a manual visor, decent, but it can also increase some of the transparency in the car, which is also a relatively standard configuration for a compact family car.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The test drive model does not provide 360-degree panoramic parking assistance, only the reversing image function, but the resolution of the rearview camera is still relatively high, and has auxiliary lines, with front and rear radar, the actual use effect I think is enough.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The front seats have a certain sense of design, comfort and lateral support are good, the driver's seat is 8-way electric adjustment plus electric lumbar support, the co-pilot is manually adjusted, and there are two adjustable heating and ventilation functions, which is remarkably functional.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

Rear space performance is normal in the same class of models, but not outstanding, legroom is okay, but headroom will be slightly cramped, and the seat cushion length of the rear seats is slightly shorter, but the angle and comfort of the seats are good.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The luggage compartment space is still relatively regular, the opening is relatively large, it is convenient to take larger luggage, and the rear seats can be reclined in a 4/6 ratio to improve the loading capacity, but the rear seats after being folded down will form a height difference with the luggage compartment floor instead of a plane.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

In terms of power, Kia's new K3 will continue to be equipped with both 1.5L and 1.4T engines, and the 1.5L model we tested has a maximum power of 84.5kW (115Ps) at 6300rpm and a peak torque of 143.9N.m/4500rpm, while the 1.4T engine has been tuned to increase the maximum power by 7.4kW to 103kW, and the peak torque is still 211N.m.

In terms of transmission, the 1.5L engine is still matched with a CVT continuously variable transmission, but the shape of the gear lever has changed a lot, the volume is significantly reduced, it looks more refined and modern, and the gear display is also designed on the gear handle.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

In fact, for the powertrain of the 1.5L self-priming engine and CVT gearbox, I think everyone should also have an estimate of its power performance, indeed, it is a bit lackluster in explosiveness and acceleration ability, which may be more suitable for drivers with a Buddhist mentality.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

However, although the power parameters are not bright, the throttle response is still quite positive, and it can still meet the needs in the medium and low speed working range, and although the throttle is sensitive, it is not neurotic, and the engine will not make up for the lack of power by deliberately pulling up the speed.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The CVT gearbox equipped with the K3 can simulate 8 forward gears, which can create a little sporty feeling by simulating gear shifting, and overall its smoothness is quite good, and the tacit understanding with the engine is also very high, and there will be basically no unpleasant breaks.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

The suspension of the front MacPherson rear torsion beam structure is the usual form of family cars, and the overall tuning is mainly based on comfort and has good shock filtering performance, but the rear suspension still has the inevitable bounce of the torsion beam suspension when passing through the bump of the deceleration hurdle.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

Of course, if you choose the sport mode, then at least sensorially, the power performance of the new K3 will be much more aggressive, the engine will be more willing to maintain a higher rev range, and the throttle will be more active, but this change is more subjective, and the 115 horsepower has not increased.

Tencent test drives Kia's new K3

Through this upgrade, the new K3 is more in line with the current aesthetics in terms of styling design, and it is also more visually impactful, which is undoubtedly important for the younger potential consumer group, and the configuration also inherits the consistent advantages of Korean models, as a family car it is absolutely competent. If you are not satisfied with the power performance of the 1.5L engine, then there will be 1.4T models to choose from, now the competition in the segment of compact sedans is indeed very hot, if you want to have better market performance, the new K3 also needs a competitive price, this answer, will soon be revealed.

Photo/Darko