Kia has undoubtedly made some major inroads with their standing in the automotive industry and are legitimately looked upon by many as an equal with its direct competitors. For the compact sedan segment, an area that seems to retain some momentum even with the growing demand for crossovers, Kia brings us the all-new K4 taking the place of the outgoing Kia Forte.
For the fundamentals of a mainstream compact sedan, the new Kia K4 does all that it needs to in terms of providing a decent amount of equipment as to not feel overly cheap and keep on pace with others like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The K4 puts itself out there as somewhat of a mold breaker for its somewhat aggressive styling but not to the point of being offensive in the least bit.
One would conclude that its style is forward-moving, where it looks like it performs better than it does when you opt for the 147-horsepower base engine, which I had a chance to drive months ago in a limited capacity, walking away disappointed with its lackluster acceleration and continuously variable transmission. However, this week, Kia sent me the K4 GT-Line Turbo, which gives the K4 some much-needed extra power, 190 horsepower, and 195 lb-ft of torque from a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder sent through an 8-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels. The turbocharged engine feels at home on the K4’s platform, yet with some hesitation in its initial response to throttle input. Such a slight hiccup is an unfortunate takeaway from a decent engine that should otherwise feel livelier than it does. Still, it scoots the K4 along well and much better than the base-level naturally aspirated 4-cylinder found in all K4 trims except my top-level K4 GT-Line Turbo test vehicle trim. In my opinion, Kia should only offer the turbocharged engine – but that’s the enthusiast in me talking.
Overall, performance is decent for most who buy such a vehicle, but it tends to falter when you start to push the K4 the least bit, with the most noticeable misstep being the front suspension that tends to loft around when going over moderate to major undulations and road rises. Such a feeling isn’t comforting when you wish to utilize all that the turbocharged engine has to give, which is enough to hit 60 mph in about 7 seconds flat. Otherwise, the K4 GT-Line Turbo has a comfy and agreeable ride quality – just don’t do anything remotely Fast & Furious style and you’ll be just fine.
Fuel economy is at an expected level for the K4 GT-Line Turbo, often besting both the EPA combined 29 mpg estimate and 26 mpg figure. On the highway, the 36 mpg EPA estimate seems about right, but you may come up just short of such if you like to drive above the posted Interstate speed limit. There’s a decent 446-mile cruising range with a full 12.4-gallon tank of regular unleaded fuel.
The interior space of the Kia K4 is nice, especially for its segment. Here, Kia did their homework to give consumers precisely what they want and hardly ever deviates from such a formula with flash. Moreover, there are more soft-touch surfaces than I expected, making the cabin feel more premium and fitting to match its stylish and exuberant exterior. Kia didn’t skimp on the equipment, either. For the top trim K4 GT-Line Turbo you get most of the desirables, including the highlights of heated and ventilated front seats, wireless smartphone charger, color-selectable LED ambient lighting, power sunroof with a power sunshade, 360-degree surround view camera system, 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, rear air vents, and of course the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster flanking the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Another aspect in which the Kia K4 shines is its interior, which offers ample seating space, with the rear seats having a surprising amount of room that nearly rivals midsize sedans. The front seats have a lot of adjustability, and admittedly, it took me a while to find a comfortable driving position and save it as part of the drive’s memory seat function. Once found, I felt at home in the K4 – even with me being well over 6 feet tall, which I enjoyed, as such a vehicle has wide-opening doors for easier ingress and egress. One neat item is the K4 GT-Line Turbo’s steering wheel, which is shaped differently than most, not only with a flat bottom but also a flat top – one of those cheeky traits that some may like or hate.
In terms of safety, Kia put their best efforts into the K4 as they do for all their vehicles, incorporating all the expected active safety features, also including the highway driving assist 2 system that permits some semi-autonomous driving on the highway but will still require a touch on the steering wheel. Kia also continues with their trick blind-spot view monitor, which brings up a live camera feed in the digital gauge cluster of the blind-spot when signaling. Otherwise, you have the typical lane keep assist/departure warning, forward collision warning/emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic/collision avoidance, and safe exit warning.
Surprisingly, despite the hatchback-esq look, the K4 is still a definitive sedan. The trunk is a traditional opening for a sedan, with a total of 14.6 cubic feet, but the look may eventually pay homage to the forthcoming K4 hatchback that we updated you on months ago. That one should be a neat vehicle if it uses this turbocharged engine.
The value proposition in Kia’s lineup remains strong, but with slightly rising prices across the board. Though the Kia K4 starts at a decent level, around $21,990 before any fees or options for the base LX trim. Moving all the way up through a total of five trim levels to the top-level K4 GT-Line Turbo, you’ll look to spend $31,445 for what you see in my test vehicle, which includes the $2,200 GT-Line Turbo Technology Package.
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Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice in the automotive media world for over two decades. With 20+ years of hands-on experience covering the industry, Malcolm has built a reputation for delivering honest reviews, sharp insights, and in-depth coverage of everything from new car debuts to high-performance test drives. Passionate about the evolving car culture and staying ahead of the curve, Malcolm continues to lead Automotive Addicts as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and industry insiders alike.
