2025 Kia K4 First Drive Review

With used cars still in short supply and most of the new car market focused on luxury vehicles and pricey pickups and SUVs, the K4 fills a niche that’s getting smaller every year. Even the least expensive K4 still costs $2,000 more than the starting price of the 2024 Kia Forte, the slightly smaller sedan it replaces.

Knowing that buyers wouldn’t have many other choices, Kia could’ve made the K4 a car of last resort—the same way a gas station doesn’t need a Michelin star to sell hot dogs. But so far, the K4 has shown itself to be a stylish sedan that’s pleasant to drive and easy to live with in its own right. It just happens to cost $25,000.

We’ll spend a lot more time with the K4 when we’re done putting 2,000 break-in miles on it. That’s when we’ll start putting it through more than 50 tests at our 327-acre Auto Test Center in Connecticut, including fuel economy, braking, acceleration, and emergency handling. We’ll also drive it on road trips, jaunts to the grocery store, and everything in between.

In the meantime, CR members can read our initial thoughts on the K4 below. If you haven’t signed up to be a member yet, click below and become a member to access this full article and all our exclusive ratings and reviews for each vehicle we buy and test. If you sign up for the Cars Newsletter, you’ll be among the first to know when we publish our full review.

What we bought: 2025 Kia K4 LXS
Powertrain: 147-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine; continuously variable transmission (CVT); front-wheel drive
MSRP: $22,990 
Options: Carpeted floor mats ($175)
Destination fee: $1,155
Total cost: $24,320