Many manufacturers have discontinued hatchback models in the United States in recent years, but Kia’s new K4 is a welcome addition to the segment. It’s stylish, excellent value for money, and more practical than the K4 sedan introduced first. What the K4 doesn’t have is a manual gearbox, which would be especially welcome on the model with the turbocharged engine. However, Kia won’t rule out a stick shift for its new hatchback—all it needs is sufficient demand for the option.
Related: Manual Transmissions Aren’t Dead. Some U.S. Buyers Are Choosing Them More
K4 Hatchback Manual Not Impossible
Kia K4 sedan with manual transmission
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At a recent press event in Los Angeles, a Kia spokesperson spoke about the possibility of introducing a manual option for the K4 Hatchback. The K4 is offered with a manual in other markets, as pictured above.
“We don’t have any plans for a manual transmission right now, but the platform is perfectly capable of accepting one,” said the spokesperson when speaking to Carscoops. “We do offer a manual in other markets. If we find that there’s demand in our market for a manual transmission and it makes business sense, it’s technically possible.”
2026 Kia K4 Hatchback
Kia
The K4 Hatchback is only available with a CVT or a conventional eight-speed automatic for now. The CVT is paired with the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, whereas the eight-speeder is exclusive to the GT-Line Turbo, which gets a 1.6-liter turbo-four with 190 horsepower.
While it’s encouraging to see that Kia is open to a manual gearbox for its compact hatch, the take rate for manuals makes for grim reading. One of Kia’s most recently available manual models, the Forte GT (the Forte preceded the K4), had a take rate for manual derivatives of just 2%, according to Motor 1. That’s hardly promising and explains why the new K4 Sportswagon (also available with a manual) won’t be sold in the United States.
Related: Kia’s Manual K4 Sportswagon Brings Fun Back to Compact Wagons
Manual Hatchbacks Mostly Limited To Hot Hatches
If you want a manual hatchback in 2026, you typically have to spend far more on a proper hot hatch like the Toyota GR Corolla (starts at $39,920) or Honda Civic Type R (starts at $45,895). These prices are in a completely different realm to the K4 Hatchback, which has a base MSRP of $24,890.
The only regular hatchback that still has a manual gearbox is the Mazda 3, and only on the Premium trim that starts at $31,450. As of the 2025 model year, Honda discontinued the manual for its otherwise sporty Civic Hatchback. Even the Volkswagen Golf GTI, one of the best hatches for enthusiasts, no longer comes with anything but a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Like other automakers, Kia needs a strong enough business case to produce a manual gearbox, and that simply doesn’t exist in this market—at least, not outside the sports car segment.
