2018 Kia GT Sedan: The 3-series Fighter Inches Toward Reality

What It Is: A disguised 2018 Kia GT sedan caught rolling on the streets of Orange County, California, near the automaker’s U.S. research and development facility. This marks the latest stage in the car’s gestation, which kicked off publicly with a concept first seen at the Frankfurt auto show some five years ago. Production was in the cards basically from the get-go, and the latest intel suggests it will arrive in 2017 as a 2018 model.

Gone are the concept’s rearward-opening rear doors, which have been replaced by conventional units. Although the camouflage job is a creative one, it’s evident that the rakish rear backlight remains, while a pair of smaller LED headlamps and lower intakes replace the exaggerated units from the concept. The large side vent carries over, albeit wearing a bright chrome finish here versus the concept’s matte look.

Why It Matters: Kia has long pitched itself as the sporty Korean brand, but any manufacturer that wishes to be considered as such needs a true sports sedan in its lineup, which means standard rear-wheel drive. Indeed, the Kia GT—or whatever it ends up being called; the code name is CK—will be rear-wheel drive, and it will have the BMW 3-series in its sights. It also sends the message that Kia is willing to step outside of its commuter-car and crossover safety zone to build the kind of vehicles that appeal to enthusiasts. As a luxury sports sedan, the GT also will provide a fertile ground for extensive luxury options and trim levels, which can increase profit margins. The GT will look to offer seductive styling at a substantial discount over the cost of traditional European competition, but the car’s success largely will hinge on how it drives.

Platform: We anticipate that the GT will be built on a new rear-drive platform shared, at minimum, with Hyundai’s new Genesis sub-brand. Genesis stated its intent to enter this same space with the rear-wheel-drive, 3-series-sized G70, a concept version of which twirled on its New York auto-show stand in March.

Powertrain: We expect Kia to offer the GT in four- and six-cylinder variants, with the sportiest model getting a 3.3-liter turbocharged V-6 making roughly 340 horsepower. You can bet the company’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder will make an appearance, possibly with enhanced output (perhaps with additional displacement) for duty in the GT. To bolster the car’s sporting credibility, look for it to be offered with a manual transmission as well as the expected automatic.

Competition: Audi A4, BMW 3-series, Cadillac ATS, Infiniti Q50, Jaguar XE, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-class, Volvo S60.

Estimated Arrival and Price: As mentioned, we expect the car to arrive in 2017 as a 2018 model, although the possibility exists that it could slip back some and debut as a 2019. Pricing is hard to pin down, but if Kia’s value formula carries over, the GT could start in the mid-$30,000 range in order to undercut the European entries.