Kia K4

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More and more, it seems like the American auto show circuit belongs to the South Koreans. The biggest debuts at the 2024 New York International Auto Show belonged to Hyundai, Kia and Genesis, where the Big H unveiled refreshes for the Tucson and Santa Cruz, and Genesis wowed folks with a few concepts. However, it was the 2025 Kia K4 that made the biggest crater, offering a distinct and uniquely “Kia” take on the compact sedan segment. Here’s my takeaway after some time in the show car on the floor.

Related: More 2024 New York Auto Show Coverage

Standing Out From the Crowd

The K4 is quite the stylistic departure from the Forte it replaces, incorporating the brand’s signature sharp-edged design into a new fastback rear profile. There are clear lines drawn between the production K4 and forthcoming EV4, at least based on the latter’s concept, particularly in both the profile and lower front fascia openings. Though it might look a bit blocky in photos, it’s far less bulbous and Minecraft-y in person, and it will stand out from the soapish crowd (at least for a few model years).

If there’s anything we’re not a fan of on the exterior, it’s the use of shiny gloss-black plastic trim on the GT Line, particularly on the C-pillar and trunk lid. The pillar-mounted door handle is goofy enough, and we suspect the gloss plastic trim will appear scuffed and scraped in no time. And as we noted in our initial coverage of the new sedan, there’s a traditional trunk despite the appearance of a liftback, which is both reasonably cavernous and has quick-pulls for folding the rear seatbacks.

At least on this top trim, there is a noticeable level of polish and attention to detail. That gloss-black plastic wraparound trim on the rear trunk lid includes an electric release button next to the rear camera that is both satisfying to use and slightly slick to look at — insofar as a trunk release mechanism can be remotely interesting. 

Screens, Screens, Screens

Inside, the cabin hides smartly designed trim, including a flat, glassy dome light panel and integrated, dash-mounted scroll wheel instead of volume knob. The materials of these little touches aren’t necessarily above the (presumed) price nor better than some segment leaders, but they’re both more interesting to look at and operate than traditional stuff. Speaking of the interior, Kia’s blocky, “active” design language is on full display here, with a rugged-ish appearance that wouldn’t look entirely out of place in a future refreshed Telluride or EV9. Take note in particular of the GT Line’s tri-spoke steering wheel, complete with integrated drive mode toggle toward the bottom.

As this is the top trim level, the K4 GT Line is loaded to the pillar handles with tech and features like heated and cooled memory seats, along with USB-C charge ports aplenty for pilot and passenger alike. The primary port for wired smartphone mirroring is backlit and can be toggled between pure charging and data transfer functions — again, little details — while those riding in the back can juice up their devices with a pair of standard USB-C ports. Of course, you won’t really need that, as both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

The 12.3-inch displays for both instrument panel and infotainment system are plenty large, carry a high refresh rate and are satisfying to use. A small, 5-inch screen squished between the bigger displays toggles the climate functions, a decision that cleans up the lower portion of the dash and is reasonably simple to operate without looking away from the road (but we’ll never, ever shut up about our hard-button preference).

Four-Cylinder Powertrains

We can say nothing yet of the general driving dynamics of the new Kia K4, but we expect they’ll be similar to the prior Forte given the on-paper resemblances. The base 2025 K4 buzzes around with a 147-horsepower, naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission, while upper trims like the GT Line scoot with the familiar turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder good for 190 hp through the eight-speed automatic. Both the manual gearbox and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic are toast, but Kia’s not ruling out a future spicier GT variant, especially given the K4’s surprise hatch announcement.

Neither the hatch nor the base 2025 Kia K4 were on display, but we’re rather excited given our brief taste of the debut sedan. Look for our full driving thoughts closer to the production start later this year.

More From Cars.com:

• Lights Up, Jaws Down: First Look at the Upcoming Kia K4
• 2025 Kia K4 Makes Style and Safety Its Forte
• Kia Teases K4 Sedan Ahead of New York Auto Show
• Sub-$30,000 New Cars Are So Hot Right Now: Report
• 2024 Kia Forte Stays Almost the Same, Starts at $20,915

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