New for 2025 is the Kia K4 sedan, which takes the place of the Forte in Kia’s compact sedan lineup. Kia has been the champion of building great small cars loaded with incredible value over the last several years. From the compact CUV Niro to the three-row K9 EV SUV, this has become Kia’s recipe for success. The good news is that the Kia K4 follows this same successful recipe. It delivers a fantastic small car experience at a similarly small price.
The 2025 Kia K4 impresses at first glance. Kia has once again created a winner in the design department. The K4 has a sharp design and styling that sets it apart from other vehicles in the compact sedan segment. Everything on the K4 is bold, from the vertical LED lighting up front to the boxy rear fender flares. Black and machined-finish 17-inch wheels finish the look and contrast nicely with the Morning Haze paint.
Admittedly, the C-pillar rearward isn’t everyone’s style, but I think this entire sedan looks fantastic.
The Kia K4 EX is powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0L 4-Cylinder Engine w/ 147 horsepower & 132 lb-ft torque. Power is sent to the front wheels by way of a CVT transmission. Admittedly, this version of the K4 isn’t the most engaging engine to drive, but it does do the job adequately. I observed 34 miles per gallon fuel economy over 370 miles of driving the Kia K4 on highways and in the city.
Moving up the Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo grants access to a much more potent 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 190 horsepower and has a more sport-oriented driving experience
Driving the Kia K4 on Texas highways and backroads proved to be a very comfortable and confident experience. The K4 ride is excellent, though cabin noise is somewhat prevalent. This is a low-priced small car, though, and not a quiet luxury cruiser.
The interior of the Kia K4 is as fresh as its exterior. Kia does a great job of using interesting surfacing and materials to add interest to the interior.
While the seats in the K4 EX are cloth rather than leather, they look fantastic and are very comfortable, so spend extended periods in them. I drove 6 hours in one stint to East Texas and back in this K4 and never once felt fatigued.
The instrument and infotainment screens are dual 12.3″ high -resolution displays. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and look great on the K4’s screen. You won’t find any USB-A in the very modern K4. Instead, 4 USB-C ports are available for charging duties and wired phone mirroring functionality. A wireless phone charger is also standard.
The Kia K4 comes loaded with several crash-avoidance and ADAS features, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist assist, blind-spot monitoring, intelligent cruise control with traffic assist, rear cross-traffic monitoring, an lane monitoring.
I’m already starting to see the Kia K4 in increasing numbers on the roads here in Houston, meaning that consumers are in agreement with my assertion that the K4 is not just a fantastic value, but a fantastic small car all-around.
With a price-as-tested of $24,165 plus $1,155 destination, the Kia K4 is a lot of car for the money. While I’d probably stretch for the bigger engine in the GT-Line Turbo, even the more basic EX is a great, affordable car.
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