The EV4 is Kia’s Model 3 moment. Pitched as an affordable electric sedan, it promises a comfortable, spacious, and tech-laden experience without breaking the bank.
That’s the idea, anyway. With the threat of U.S. tariffs looming and EV tax credits in jeopardy, it’s hard to say whether the Kia EV4 will make good on its promises. But after spending a few hours behind the wheel in South Korea, one thing is certain: the EV4 is a serious player with lots of potential.
(Full Disclosure: Kia covered my travel to Seoul and lodging to drive the EV4.)
| Quick Specs | 2026 Kia EV4 |
| Drivetrain | Single-Motor Front-Wheel-Drive |
| Battery | 58.3 Kilowatt-Hour / 81.4 Kilowatt-Hour |
| Output | 201 Horsepower / 208 Pound-Feet |
| Range | 235 Miles / 330 Miles (est.) |
| DC Fast Charging | 10-80% in 29 minutes/31 minutes |
| Base Price / As Tested | $39,000 (est.) / $45,000 (est.) |
2026 Kia EV4: What Is It?
The EV4 is the latest member of the Hyundai Motor Group’s ever-growing family of cars on the E-GMP all-electric platform. It is effectively the sedan variant of the Kia EV3 we drove last year—and really liked—and it should be similarly affordable. (The EV3 starts at the equivalent of about $30,000 in South Korea. It’s due for a U.S. release, but the automaker isn’t saying when, or where it will be built.)
Two battery options, a 58.3-kilowatt-hour base unit and an 81.4-kWh upgraded one, give it an EPA-estimated range of 235 or 330 miles, respectively.
Like the EV3, the EV4 makes certain compromises to reach that bargain price tag. It uses a mere 400-volt version of the E-GMP architecture, not the 800V hardware seen in the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 9 and others. That means it won’t achieve those cars’ super-high charging speeds, but that seems to mean that its charging times are just average now instead of slow.
The EV4 should go from a 10% to 80% charge in 29 minutes for the smaller battery or 31 minutes for the larger one. For context, a Kia EV6 with the more powerful electrical architecture can do that in about 18 minutes on a 350-kilowatt fast-charger, but the EV4 is still in line with many competitors—including the Tesla Model 3.
Unlike that car, and most of its E-GMP cousins, the EV4 is also front-wheel-drive. An all-wheel drive version is coming eventually. For now, expect a zero to 60 mph time in the mid-seven-second range.
The latter is an impressive figure. And if the EV4’s final price is low enough—and I’ll get to that later—it could be a remarkable electric bargain.
Here are three things you need to know before it arrives in the United States next year.
1. Yes, The Kia EV4 Looks Strange In Person
The EV4 is an odd-looking thing. There’s no getting around its awkward fascias or odd proportions. The car looks as if it tried to grow itself into a high-riding crossover-type four-door fastback, but gave up halfway through. After staring at it from every angle over the course of an hour, my feelings didn’t really change. But I did come to a realization: It doesn’t really matter if the EV4 is pretty. It just has to elicit a reaction.
And to that end, the EV4’s design succeeds. Even in South Korea, where the car is already on sale, people seemed to stop and look constantly, if not just to inspect the concept-esque headlights or the melty rear end. The EV4 doesn’t take your breath away, but it still manages to stop you in your tracks. That might as well be dealer showroom gold.
Size-wise, the sedan sits at 15.5 feet long, 6.1 feet wide, and 4.9 feet tall. That makes it remarkably similar to Kia’s popular gas-powered K4 sedan, and similar to the Model 3 in every way except for being narrower.
2. The Kia EV4 Is Nicer Than A Tesla Model 3
That weird shape has its advantages. It allows the cabin to feel far more airy and spacious than any of its competition, with lots of adjustment up front and tons of legroom in the rear. While there’s no under-hood storage, the trunk is impressively spacious, with a wide opening and 17.3 cubic feet of cargo area.
The cabin’s quality is better, too. The Model 3 might have the EV4 beat on visual appeal, but for real, actual daily use, I’d prefer the Kia. There are physical buttons on the steering wheel, laid out in an easy-to-understand, no-nonsense fashion. There are also physical controls for the climate control and the volume, mounted below the center screen.
A few touch-capacitive buttons have made their way in between, for general infotainment navigation stuff. But it’s a whole lot more appealing than the screen-dominated Tesla.
Then there’s the ride. While the Model 3 handles well, I’ve never been impressed by its comfort. On a curvy back road, I’d take the Tesla. But anywhere else, the Kia has it beat on comfort and relaxation. The EV4 is far more pleasant on uneven roads, and while it’s a bit more wallowy around corners, I actually prefer that in my daily driver.
Power delivery from the single, front-mounted motor isn’t as strong as the Model 3, so if outright grunt is important to you, you might be disappointed. But being an EV, the Kia still has plenty of punch down low, where it really matters.
3. The Kia EV4 Is A High-Tech Powerhouse
EVs are sometimes stuffed with gimmicky features that their owners will seldom use. Thankfully, Kia’s been mindful about the type of tech offered on the EV4, resulting in some compelling gear. And that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, at long last on this family of EVs. You can also lock, unlock, and start the vehicle using a smartphone or smartwatch.
Kia’s new iPedal 3.0 system comes standard, allowing the driver to adjust regenerative braking force with the paddles on the steering wheel. It is now smarter than ever, incorporating GPS and sensor data to better scan the road ahead and automatically deliver the level of braking you need under any circumstance. It can also be used to help autonomously navigate through low-speed traffic.
While that might sound like a set-and-forget function, I found myself using it constantly to slow or accelerate the car in traffic, without having to touch the pedals. It’s the type of thing you’ll use way more than you think.
Kia added Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality to the EV4, unlocking the ability to power useful items without a generator or power domestic appliances in the case of a power outage. There’s also a digital key function, enabling owners to lock, unlock, and start the EV4 using a smartphone or smartwatch. You can assign up to 15 devices to one car, which is nice if you have a big family or plan to use the EV4 as a fleet vehicle.
Perhaps the most gimmicky feature is a new “Theater Mode,” which lets users stream video to the 12.3-inch touchscreen, pumping sound through the car’s stereo system. It’s nice to have, seeing as how the charging times are a bit longer here than other Kia and Hyundai EVs.
Except, EV4s sold in North America won’t have this feature due to “regulatory” reasons, according to Kia. Bummer.
2026 Kia EV4: Early Verdict
In all, the EV4 is a compelling package that buyers should be excited about. After driving one, I’m certain I’d have it over a Model 3, and probably over a few other similarly priced EVs. But one question remains: How much?
Kia has yet to release a starting MSRP for the EV4 in America. With the federal tax credit on death’s door and tariffs seemingly here to stay (at least in some capacity), it’s possible Kia won’t be selling these things as cheaply as they originally planned. If I had to guess, the EV4 is likely to start in the high $30,000 range. Any higher than that, and it’ll start to encroach on its closest sibling, the rear-drive Hyundai Ioniq 6, which is excellent but hasn’t exactly been a sales hit lately.
If Kia can pull off a cheaper price tag that undercuts even the Model 3, it’s got a winner on its hands. We'll find out when it arrives in the second half of 2025.
Gallery: 2026 Kia EV4 Review
