The EX trim has 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque from a two-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
It’s an auto writer’s lot to occasionally drive the world’s most expensive and exotic cars. No complaints here. And yet, looking back, some of the cars that have pleased me the most were humble cars that were simply better than they needed to be.
That’s certainly the case in today’s compact-car category, where the overachieving begins with size: Many “compacts” these days are officially classed as mid-sized, based on their overall passenger and cargo volumes.
The market may still be more interested in crossovers, but a good compact sedan (or hatchback) is arguably all the car that many people need, for less money and with better fuel economy than the crossover sibling that usually shares the same engineering genes.
A new nameplate in the segment is the K4 sedan, which replaces the Forte as Kia’s contender in this category that is now the sole domain of the offshore brands (R.I.P. Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart and Ford Focus). Kia Canada is remaining coy as to whether a K4 hatchback is in the works to replace the Forte5, though the presence of a K4 hatch at the New York auto show last March suggests it is.
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The K4 isn’t quite the roomiest car in its class by all the metrics, but it’s close – much roomier than a Toyota Corolla or Mazda3 – and ties with its Hyundai Elantra cousin for most rear-seat legroom.
Circling back to our discussion of humble, “our” K4 made a welcome appearance in a modest trim that’s more representative of what most buyers will get (too often, press demo vehicles are loaded top-trim models). The EX we received is one level up from the base LX, in a lineup that also features EX+, GT-Line and GT-Line Limited grades.
The GT-Line trims have a gauge cluster that can be configured to look like traditional dials, but the lower trims have only these digital read-outs.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
The GT-Lines are powered by a 1.6-litre, 190-horsepower turbo engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that replaces the Forte GT’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic; the lower trims employ a carry-over two-litre, 147-horsepower naturally aspirated engine hitched to a continuously variable automatic transmission.
What we liked best about the K4, however, was something you can’t really measure: its chassis dynamics. Despite the EX’s seemingly aggressive tires (W-rated 225/45R17 Kumhos) it delivers a plush, rolling feel and cushioned ride. Yet there’s little trade-off in handling. The chassis doesn’t initially come across as hot to trot – it’s not edgy or overtly sporty – but once you commit to a curve, it turns in fluently and cleanly goes where you point it with minimal lurch and lean. Call it “relaxed agility.”
The fine ride/handling compromise is all the more commendable considering the LX and EX trims have an old-tech twist-beam rear suspension. A fully independent multilink rear is reserved for the GT-Line models.
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As you’d expect, the Kia is keenly priced. Without entering the minefield of comparing features at each price point, suffice to say the base price below $24,000 (plus $1,850 for freight, plus fees and taxes) is comparable with the base Toyota Corolla and thousands less than the least expensive Honda Civic. Surprisingly, the Elantra starts about $1,000 below the K4, but most other alternatives ask more. The K4 EX tested here asks $26,495, and prices top out at $34,495.
Chassis dynamics may not be a deal-maker virtue in an affordable compact sedan, but combined with its roominess, refinement and richness of standard technology, the K4 is a contender. The LX, EX and EX+ versions of the K4 are in showrooms now, while the GT-Lines are expected early in the new year.
Fuel economy is better than SUVs, using 8.4 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 6 on the highway.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2025 Kia K4 EX
- Base price / as tested: $26,495/$26,745 plus $1,850 for freight, plus fees and taxes
- Engine: Two-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder
- Horsepower / torque (lb-ft): 147 / 132
- Transmission / drive: Continuously variable automatic / Front-wheel drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 8.4 city / 6.0 highway
- Alternatives: Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta
Looks
The long, low and wide proportions echo the Hyundai Elantra with which the K4 shares a platform. It’s your call whether you like the distinctive C-pillar treatment incorporating the rear door handle. LED headlamps are standard and the 17-inch aluminum rims kick in with the EX trim.
We found it easy to get comfortable at the wheel, with good visibility, though some might be more bothered than we were by the unusual shape of the steering wheel.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Interior
While adult rear-seaters enjoy expansive legroom, the driver gets only six-way manual seat adjustment in the non-turbo models, theoretically leaving less scope for all body types and posture preferences to find their at-the-wheel sweet spot, though we had no complaints. All trims present the driver with an unusual slightly squarish steering wheel, and the appearance of side-by-side 12.3-inch screens under a single pane. However, only the GT-Line lets you configure the gauge-cluster display to look like analog gauges; the others get just digital speed and tachometer readouts nestled within some decorative graphics. Despite the presence of a traditional shift lever, the centre console provides useful storage space, including a wireless phone charger on EX and up.
Performance
With only 147 horsepower under the hood, the EX’s test-track numbers are likely to be tepid, but the lag-free naturally aspirated engine and continuously variable transmission deliver an effortlessly brisk feel in real-world driving, with decent refinement, too. The rubber-band effect of the CVT is only obvious when you really boot it. While there’s some effort to mimic the feel of stepped upshifts, they’re not very convincing. What bothered us more was the transmission’s reluctance to use top gear on the highway, even in favourable conditions, unless we slapped the shifter over into “manual” mode and did it ourselves. Doing so dropped the rpm from 2,300 to 1,900 at typical highway speeds.
The 12.3-inch infotainment screen is standard on all trims; all climate controls remain by physical buttons on lesser trims, or a combination of physical and screen-based on GT-Lines.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Technology
As usual, the more you pay, the more you get, but even the base model has adaptive cruise control, lane-following assist and forward collision-avoidance assist, as well as a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with HD Radio, SiriusXM and Kia Connect with over-the-air updates. Moving up, the EX adds more collision-avoidance capability, the GT-Line adds navigation and Highway Drive Assist (HDA), and the GT-Line Limited adds even more collision-avoidance aids as well as HDA 2. Both versions of HDA deliver semi-autonomous driving on suitable highways but neither is hands-free.
Cargo
The K4′s 413-litre trunk is one of the segment’s largest, and the seats-folded pass-through aperture is a good size too.
The trunk is one of the largest for a car this size.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
The verdict
Roomy, technology-rich and with a classy chassis, the new K4 stands out in a way its Forte predecessor never did.
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