2025 Kia K4 Offers a Lot of Car for Under $30,000

The base engine isn't exciting, but Kia's new compact sedan is refined and comes with high-end features at a reasonable price point.

Published: Dec 16, 2024

These days it's hard enough to find a new car for under $30,000, let alone one with heated and ventilated front seats, a big sunroof, and a premium audio system. The Kia K4 can be had with all that nice stuff for $28,345 if you option it right, and the only compromise you have to make is to forgo the optional turbocharged engine that's available in the GT-Line Turbo trim level. After testing that 190-hp top-trim version earlier this year, we've now driven the 147-hp nonturbo K4 GT-Line to see how Kia's latest compact sedan measures up in its less powerful configuration.

The K4 is a replacement for the Forte, and its base powertrain is a carryover from its predecessor. Starting at $23,145 for the LX, all trims except for the top GT-Line Turbo come with a naturally aspirated 147-hp 2.0-liter inline-four, front-wheel drive, and a continuously variable automatic transmission. Those are unremarkable specs, but ultimately they're par for the course among compact sedans; most of its competitors offer between 140 and 150 horsepower in their base forms, and while the Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, and VW Jetta offer a bit of extra grunt as standard, they won't be racing for pink slips either.

Like its rivals, the K4 is sluggish off the line. Based on our last test of a 2019 model, expect 60 mph to arrive in the low eights. The 2.0-liter engine struggles to get this sedan up to highway speeds. But the engine is well isolated from the cabin, so even when the CVT pins the revs at the high end of the tachometer, there's not much noise or vibration. As with many of today's transmissions of this ilk, there are fake "shift" points, and even paddle shifters, but they don't meaningfully elevate the K4's level of driving engagement. The steering doesn't offer much in terms of feel, but we did appreciate the K4's composed ride quality and planted cornering attitude. (We still have yet to sample the lower trims and their torsion-beam rear suspension setup, as only the GT-Line versions come with a multilink arrangement back there.)

The K4 is less about excitement and more about value for money, as the interior is spacious for the class and offers nice finishes and, perhaps most importantly, lots of kit. A digital gauge cluster is standard on all models, and all but the LX and LXS have a high-tech arrangement with two large screens spanning the dashboard. The infotainment software is intuitive, and there are lots of connectivity features on offer. The best equipment is reserved for the GT-Line, which also looks natty thanks to its 18-inch wheels and spruced-up exterior trim. Opt for the $1100 GT-Line Premium package, and that's where the true class-above extras come in, including the aforementioned ventilated seats, Harman/Kardon audio system, and memory settings for the driver's seat. You can't get those things in a Civic at all, and no other compact sedan--or new car in general--has these luxurious features for this kind of money.

While the Kia's lack of driving verve prevents it from being our favorite small sedan, we appreciate the singular vision of its smart pricing and packaging. It does without appealing attributes found in other compact cars such as an available hybrid powertrain or all-wheel drive, but instead it simply provides lots of nice features for the money. Which isn't easy to find these days.

Specifications

2025 Kia K4
Vehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE
Base: LX, $23,145; LXS, $24,145; EX; $25,145; GT-Line, $26,345

ENGINE
DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement: 122 in³, 1999 cm³
Power: 147 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque: 132 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm

TRANSMISSION
continuously variable automatic

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.1 in
Length: 185.4 in
Width: 72.8 in
Height: 55.9 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 51--54/45 ft³
Trunk Volume: 15 ft³
Curb Weight (C/D est): 2950--3200 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 8.1--8.3 sec
1/4-Mile: 16.4--16.6 sec
Top Speed: 124 mph

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 33--34/29--30/39--40 mpg