Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2025 Kia K4 as we make our way to trendy Austin, Texas to test the sharp new compact sedan.
Austin, TX – For 2025, we bid adieu to the Kia Forte compact sedan. But unlike at so many manufacturers these days, Kia is not saying goodbye to the compact segment. Even with the proliferation of small hybrid crossovers, the brand still sees value in the compact car category. But the packaging of its entry in it is all shiny and new: the car gets a new name, some aggressive new styling and a host of compelling interior features.
2025 Kia K4, front | Photo: D.Heyman Design of the 2025 Kia K4 – 8.0/10The K4 is the first non-SUV from Kia to get the new vertical headlamps and they’ve made the transition to the K4’s smaller front fascia rather well. They can be had in either three- or six-bulb form – the bottom three trims get the former, the two top GT-Line trims the latter – and they are they combine to offer the most modern-looking front end seen on anything in the segment.
Basically, this model with its new nomenclature needed to make a styling statement, and it definitely does that.That statement is less brash inside. There are unique features like standard dual 12.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and infotainment, and an oval-shaped steering wheel that both helps with the view out and the view of the gauges as well as allowing you to turn the wheel without bumping one’s thighs.
We did note that the low-mount front seats might have the longer-legged among us – supermodels, basketball players, my drive partner during this trip – sitting with their knees quite a bit higher than their hips. It’s a very good selection of features, though the lack of automatic digital climate control on everything but the top two trims is disappointing. Again, that’s a feature we could have seen slightly further down the line, perhaps at the EX+ level. That trim does get a sunroof, but we’d probably prefer digital climate control, especially for cold Canadian winter settings.
2025 Kia K4, wheel | Photo: D.Heyman Models equipped with the turbo engine won’t be available until later this year, which meant that during our test drive in the Lone Star state we were only able to sample EX models with the 2.0. Which makes some sense in that it will likely be the hot seller of the group.
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