Two engines, one family
The G4KD and G4KE are the two multi-point-injection engines of the Theta II family that Hyundai and Kia fitted across their mid-size cars and SUVs from about 2008. Both are aluminium-block, chain-driven, 16-valve engines with dual continuously variable valve timing. The G4KD is the 2.0-litre, square at 86 by 86 mm; the G4KE is the 2.4-litre, with a larger bore and a considerably longer stroke, and it carries the heavier vehicles.
They are not interchangeable: different bore, stroke and internal parts, and the cars are calibrated and geared for the engine they came with. Buy the model the vehicle carries.
| G4KD | G4KE | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Theta II 2.0 MPI (multi-point injection) | Theta II 2.4 MPI |
| Displacement | 2.0 litres (1,998 cc), 86.0 mm bore × 86.0 mm stroke | 2.4 litres (2,359 cc), 88.0 mm bore × 97.0 mm stroke |
| Architecture | Aluminium block, DOHC 16-valve, dual CVVT, timing chain | Same design, larger bore and longer stroke |
| Typical output | About 163–166 PS | About 174–178 PS |
| Fitted to | Sonata 2.0, Tucson / ix35 2.0, Sportage 2.0, Optima / K5 2.0, Cerato and Forte Koup 2.0, Carens 2.0 | Sonata 2.4, Santa Fe 2.4, Sorento 2.4, Sportage 2.4, Tucson / ix35 2.4, Optima / K5 2.4 |
| Role in the used trade | The volume Korean engine in the Gulf, Iraq and West Africa | The SUV engine: fewer units, higher value each |
| Strongest demand | Iraq, the GCC, Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan | The GCC, Iraq, Saudi Arabia (Santa Fe and Sorento fleets) |
| What to check | Bottom-end knock, oil consumption, timing-chain noise; evidence of overheating in taxi units | The same, plus the heavier duty of an SUV drivetrain |
| Published price at ENGICOR | US$ 500 per unit, full-container orders | US$ 730 per unit, full-container orders |
Which markets ask for which
The G4KD follows the 2.0 Sonata, Tucson, Sportage and Optima, which became fleet and taxi cars in Iraq, the Gulf and, later, Nigeria and Ghana. It is the Korean engine that moves in volume, and the one to weight a first Hyundai and Kia container toward.
The G4KE follows the 2.4 Santa Fe, Sorento and the larger-engined Sonata and Optima sold in the Gulf and Iraq. Fewer units exist, but each is worth more to the buyer, because the alternative for a Santa Fe owner is a long wait. Gulf and Saudi counters add ten or twenty G4KE to a load of G4KD and G4FC so the higher-value engines ride on the freight of the volume models.
The Theta II reputation, and what it means for a used unit
Theta II engines are known in the trade for the connecting-rod bearing failures and recalls that affected the direct-injection versions — the 2.4 GDI (G4KJ) and the 2.0 turbo (G4KH) — mainly in North America. The G4KD and G4KE are the multi-point-injection engines of the family, with a different fuel system, and were not the subject of those campaigns. That does not make them immune to wear: any high-mileage Theta II should be judged on bottom-end noise, oil consumption, timing-chain condition and evidence of overheating, and taxi-duty units from Iraq and the Gulf have often had hard lives.
Our own check is the same for every engine we supply: each engine is cleaned, handled and looked over, its crankshaft is turned by hand with a tool to confirm that the mechanism rotates, and it is photographed from every side. What the check covers: a manual crankshaft rotation check and an individual photo record. It is not a compression, leak-down, bench or running test, so on its own it does not prove how an engine will run once installed. You don't need to travel to buy, but you or your representative are welcome to visit for a Guangzhou Inspection Day and review your prepared lot in person, with a USD 1,000 visit deposit credited to your order.
What they cost, and how to order
Both are among the nineteen published models: the G4KD at US$ 500 and the G4KE at US$ 730 per unit at full-container volume, FOB, Grade A only — engines supplied as removed from the vehicle (what is fitted varies by unit and shows in each engine's photos). The other Korean models published alongside them are the G4FA and G4FC (US$ 340), the G4FG (US$ 490), the G4KA (US$ 450) and the G4NA (US$ 740). A 20-ft container takes 90 engines (or 45 engines + 45 gearboxes); a 40-ft takes 130 (or 65 + 65). Availability of each model is confirmed in the quotation.
Build the mix at engicor.com/quote/ and the FOB total arrives by email from the same published prices, valid for 14 days. Weight a first Korean container toward G4KD and G4FC, and add G4KE in the proportion your SUV parc justifies.
Sources
- Hyundai Theta engine — Wikipedia (specifications, years and applications)
- ENGICOR prices and terms: our own published list, recorded monthly in the used engine price index.
Price a container yourself
Build the mix you want in the online quoter — 90 engines in a 20-ft or 130 in a 40-ft, or 45 + 45 / 65 + 65 with gearboxes — and the FOB total reaches your inbox the same minute, at our published per-unit prices, every engine Grade A. Prefer to ask? Tell us the destination country and the models you need and we reply within one business day, usually within hours.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between the G4KD and the G4KE?
The difference is displacement: the G4KD is the 2.0-litre (1,998 cc, 86 × 86 mm) and the G4KE the 2.4-litre (2,359 cc, 88 × 97 mm) of the same Theta II multi-point-injection family. Same block design and dual-CVVT chain-driven head; different bore, stroke, output and vehicles.
Which cars use the G4KD engine?
The 2.0-litre Hyundai Sonata, Tucson and ix35, and the Kia Sportage, Optima and K5, Cerato and Forte Koup, and Carens — broadly the 2008 to mid-2010s Hyundai and Kia mid-size range.
Which cars use the G4KE engine?
The 2.4-litre Hyundai Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson and ix35, and the Kia Sorento, Sportage, Optima and K5 of the same era.
Were the G4KD and G4KE part of the Theta II engine recalls?
No: the recalls and bearing-failure campaigns concerned the direct-injection Theta II engines — the 2.4 GDI G4KJ and the 2.0 turbo G4KH — mainly in North America. The G4KD and G4KE are the multi-point-injection versions with a different fuel system. High-mileage units should still be judged on bottom-end noise, oil consumption and chain condition.
How much does a used G4KD or G4KE engine cost wholesale?
US$ 500 per unit for the G4KD and US$ 730 for the G4KE at ENGICOR, at full-container volume, FOB, Grade A only. Prices are published and identical for every buyer; freight is quoted separately per destination.