It’s Kia EV Day, and all those who celebrate are excited, confused, and arguing. The brand held an event in Tarragona, Spain, to unveil a series of new electric vehicles (EVs), only one of which is certain to come to the United States.
Thankfully, it’s the most interesting one.
What Is This Thing?
The compact 2026 Kia EV4 straddles many lines. Kia will build it in two body styles, which it calls “sedan” and “hatchback.” Neither is clearly either, but we can set that argument aside because only the EV4 sedan is coming to the U.S.
Kia hasn’t discussed pricing yet.
It’s, at best, sedan-ish. Kia may be most accurate when it calls the EV4 an “all-rounder,” whatever that is.
Kelley Blue Book first saw it mocked up two years ago. Kia designers were excited about it at the time, but struggled to describe it. Two years of further development have polished it into a promising car but left its body unique enough to defy easy categories.
It’s low to the ground like a sedan and has four doors like a sedan. But a fastback-style rear almost argues for calling it a hatchback. Why not call it a hatchback? Because the glass doesn’t open. It has a deep trunk, but only the rearmost portion of it lifts.
The result is an utterly unique-looking car that will start fights in internet comments sections.
From the front, it wears the grinning mien of the EV6, bracketed by thin vertical daytime running lights. From the rear, sharp angles save it from being bulbous and make it compelling instead. In profile, the big rear hangs long behind the rear wheels.
201 HP, Range May Touch 300 Miles
Kia hasn’t finalized specifications for the American market but revealed them for South Korean customers. The company often keeps power output largely the same between American and Korean-market cars but tightens suspensions for American tastes.
So, assuming nothing changes for the version we get, the EV4 gets a choice between a 58.3 kWh battery and an 81.4 kWh long-range battery. Either powers a single motor driving only the front wheels, good for 201 horsepower. Zero to 60 mph comes in a respectable 7.4 seconds.
Range is a mystery for now. Kia cites a range of 391 miles in European testing. American tests consistently produce ranges between a third and a quarter shorter, so 300 miles might be a reasonable target.
Vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid capability will allow owners to use it as a backup home battery or to power electronic devices in the field. Kia promises charging from 10% to 80% in “as little as 30 minutes” with a DC fast charger.
Designed for Entertainment
Inside, a 30-inch curved screen display is actually three separate screens mounted as one. They’ll provide ample entertainment, Kia says, through a “cutting-edge Vehicle Smart TV solution” that includes Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, games, and karaoke.
It’s one of several features that suggest designers put as much thought into sitting parked in your EV4 as they did into driving it. A small tabletop slides forward from the center console.
“Rest Mode utilizes the front-row relaxation seats and the mood lamp to create a comforting atmosphere. Theatre Mode optimizes settings for the 30-inch-wide screen display, interior mood lighting, and eight-speaker sound system (an optional eight-speaker Harmon/Kardon system is also available) to deliver an exceptional content viewing experience,” the company says.
Little Competition So Far
Most automakers now sell more than one EV in the U.S. But they’ve jumped in mostly through SUVs. The EV4’s measurements and performance figures make it sound much like an electrified K4.
Luxury automakers build electric sedans, like the Porsche Taycan or Lucid Air. However, mainstream automakers have mostly shied away from sedans, with just the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 fighting it out for traditional family sedan buyers. The EV4 is smaller than either and could be the first real electrified alternative to Civics and Corollas if Kia prices it right.
And it’s more interesting to look at than either.