4 min read
Source: Xhorse VVDI Technical Support — September 17, 2026
Xhorse has pushed a new Hyundai/Kia 4A KeylessGo smart key generation database to its VVDI Key Tool lineup. The update adds remote generation for 2021-and-newer Kia and Hyundai models, including the EV6, K5, and K8, plus fixes for two Hyundai ID47 part numbers that locksmiths have been chasing. For any shop doing all-keys-lost or spare-key work on late-model Korean vehicles, this is the kind of quiet release that pays for itself the first time a customer rolls in with a single worn smart key.
The update lands across the full Key Tool family — Mini Key Tool, Key Tool Max, Key Tool Max Pro, Key Tool MIDI, and Key Tool Plus — so existing owners get the new coverage without a hardware change. Here is exactly what shipped and why it matters on the bench.
What the September 17 Update Actually Adds
The headline is KeylessGo remote generation for the Hyundai/Kia 4A platform. "4A" refers to the fourth-generation immobilizer architecture Hyundai and Kia rolled out from roughly 2022 onward, and it ships on a long list of ID4A part numbers that older aftermarket databases could not reliably generate. Xhorse has now mapped the PCB revisions by part number, which is what lets the tool produce a working remote instead of a blank shell.
The new coverage is dominated by the Kia K5, which appears in no fewer than nine part-number variants spanning 2021 to 2024 — a sign of how many board revisions Hyundai/Kia cycled through in that window. Other additions include the Kia K8 (2022), the Kia EV6 (2021), the Kia Seltos (2026-onward), the Kia Cerato (2021–2023), the Hyundai Ioniq (2022–2024), and a Jeep Renegade (2016–2024) 315M entry. Two fixes round out the release: Hyundai Genesis G70 ID47 (95440-G9530) and Hyundai IONIQ ID47 (95440-G2110).
For a technician, the practical takeaway is simple: a 2022 K5 that previously had to be sent out for a dealer or specialist remote can now be handled in-house on a Key Tool. The EV6 entry is worth flagging on its own, since Hyundai/Kia electrics are turning up in independent bays more often as the first lease units age out of warranty.
Why It Matters for Locksmiths and Key Programmers
Remote generation is not the same as transponder cloning. A cloned key copies an existing chip; a generated KeylessGo remote writes fresh credentials the vehicle will accept during a programming session. That distinction is exactly why late-model Hyundai/Kia work has been a friction point. The 4A platform tightened security enough that a generic "universal" remote would often fail the initial handshake, leaving the job half-finished and the customer without a working key.
This update removes that bottleneck for a meaningful slice of the Korean fleet. Shops that keep the right aftermarket smart key remotes and key chips in stock can now turn around a spare-key or all-keys-lost job on a 2022+ Kia or Hyundai in one visit instead of quoting a two-day dealer turnaround. That is the difference between retaining a high-margin job and referring it out.
There is also a revenue angle for shops already carrying Xhorse hardware. Because the coverage is delivered as a software database update, the marginal cost is zero beyond staying current on the tool's update service. Every additional year, make, and model the database covers extends the tool's useful life without a new hardware purchase.
Which Xhorse Key Tools Get the Update
The database update applies across the entire VVDI Key Tool series, so the coverage is not gated behind the flagship model. The supported devices are:
- Xhorse VVDI Mini Key Tool — the compact, budget entry point
- Xhorse VVDI Key Tool Max — mid-tier with remote generation
- Xhorse VVDI Key Tool Max Pro — added transponder and chip functions
- Xhorse VVDI Key Tool MIDI — portable multi-function unit
- Xhorse VVDI Key Tool Plus — the flagship for full key programming
If you are shopping for your first key programmer, the fact that even the Mini Key Tool receives this Hyundai/Kia 4A coverage is a strong argument for the Xhorse ecosystem. The brand's strength has always been chip-level work and budget-friendly cloning, and this release extends that reputation into smart key generation for a fast-growing segment of the fleet.
How to Apply the Update and Avoid Mid-Job Surprises
Xhorse distributes database updates through the tool's built-in update channel, so there is no separate installer to track down. Open the update function on the device, confirm the database version, and let the tool pull the new coverage before you start a paying job. Two precautions apply, and both are worth the minute they take.
First, verify your device's current database version against the release note before relying on a specific part number. Coverage can vary by hardware generation, and assuming a remote will generate on a model you have not personally confirmed is how a quick job becomes an afternoon. Second, confirm you have a compatible smart key remote and blade in stock before quoting the customer. Generation capability means nothing if the physical remote shell and emergency blade for that platform are not on the shelf.
If your update subscription has lapsed, the new database stays locked until you renew — the same pattern as most modern diagnostic and programming platforms. For shops doing regular Korean-vehicle key work, keeping that subscription current is cheaper than losing a single EV6 or K5 job to the dealer down the street.
What to Expect Next
Hyundai and Kia sell in huge volume, and the 4A generation is now old enough that a steady stream of out-of-warranty vehicles is reaching independent locksmiths. Expect Xhorse to keep widening this database as more board revisions surface, and expect the EV6 and Ioniq entries to become the most-used lines in this release as those electric models age into the aftermarket.
For shops that want to capture that work, the path is straightforward: keep the Key Tool updated, stock the matching aftermarket smart keys and key chips for the Korean fleet, and add the vehicle coverage to the list of jobs you can take in-house. The tools that win this segment are the ones whose databases move as fast as the vehicle security does.
Written by Roberto Vargas, Key Programming & ECU Specialist at vxdas.com
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