2025 Kia K4: More Than Just a New Name2025 Kia K4: More Than Just a New Name

AUSTIN, TX – In an industry rapidly walking away from sedans, coupes and sports cars, Kia is doubling down.

And with the new 2025 K4 model, the Korean automaker is betting it actually can gain momentum in the affordable sedan market – with a long-term goal of keeping new “conquests” in its increasingly expansive product lineup.

If the name isn’t familiar, that’s no surprise. The new badge replaces the long-in-the-tooth Forte nameplate. But, as was the case when Kia transformed the bigger Optima sedan into the K5, the compact K4 is more than just a new name for a minor upgrade.

The 2025 sedan gets a fresh new look both inside and out, as well as big changes under the hood and a lot of desirable new tech and creature-comfort features. What may be the biggest surprise, however, is that the K5 comes without the hefty price hikes seen at competing brands. That should be good news for the young buyers on a budget the automaker is targeting.

The Tiger Gets a New Nose

Ever since Peter Schreyer, the European designer behind the Audi TT, became Kia’s design chief in 2006, the brand has been known for its iconic “tiger-nose” grille. With the new sedan, the snout has been downsized, with large new air intakes under the front bumper.

The car’s overall look has been heavily influenced by other recent Kia models, notably lifting the vertical lighting and sharp lines from the Telluride CUV and borrowing the broad fenders of the EV6. The swept roofline bears a striking similarity to the sporty Kia Stinger.

The new K4 has been stretched to 185.4 ins. (4,709 mm) in overall length, and with a width of 72.8 ins. (1,849 mm) it now has “the largest footprint in the compact segment,” the automaker notes in a background briefing.

Roomier, More High-Tech Cabin

The added inches translate into a roomier interior (pictured, above), a real boon for backseat passengers. Surprisingly, Kia is able to maintain good headroom, front and back, even with the car’s fastback roofline.

The new interior adds a number of high-tech touches, starting with twin 12.3-in. (31-cm) digital displays mounted under a single pane of glass. There’s also a 5-in. (13-cm) climate display. Kia has pushed back on the latest industry trend, however, maintaining hard buttons below the infotainment screen for key climate functions.

There’s plenty of technology onboard, depending on trim level, including the upgraded Connected Car Navigation Cockpit and a Google voice assistant. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across all trim levels, as are 29 different advanced driver-assistance systems.

Powertrain Options

The 2025 Kia K4 is offered with two powertrain options (pictured, below):

While base and mid-trim models feature a solid rear axle, the K4 GT-Line and GT-Line Turbo packages get a new – and stiffer – multi-link rear suspension.

Driving Impressions

Kia offered up the keys to both versions of the K4 GT-Line for test drives here.

The naturally aspirated powertrain package offers reasonable performance and notably better driving dynamics than any version of the outgoing Forte sedan.

But the GT-Line Turbo is where things got a lot more interesting as we headed out into Texas Hill Country. With an extra 43 hp and 63 lb.-ft. (85 Nm) of torque, the engine is, for one thing, far more responsive to even subtle inputs from the throttle and requires less guesswork if you’re thinking of executing a quick pass.

That was all the more apparent operating in Sport Mode. It kept the engine running at higher RPM, while tightening up shifts and steering effort. That also made for quicker response from the standard paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Add the multi-link suspension, which really transforms the overall dynamics, and the K4 becomes far more deserving of the term “sport sedan.”

On longer stretches of highway, we checked out Kia’s new HDA2 semi-autonomous driving system. While not quite up to the best-in-class, such as General Motors’ Super Cruise, it did make it easier to relax our grip and even go hands-free on some limited-access stretches.

Final Word

The old Forte was an acceptable, if largely forgettable, entry that was sold largely on price. Not so the 2025 Kia K4. As with other recent additions and upgrades, Kia plans to market the compact sedan’s features, performance and driving dynamics – but it still can boast an affordable price tag at a time when more and more budget buyers are being driven out of the new-vehicle market.

There are five trim levels for K4 starting at $23,165 for the base LX. And even the top GT-Line Turbo is reasonably priced at just under $30,000 fully loaded.

We do have a few gripes; the K4 does get a little noisy on rough pavement, but no more than anything else in its class. On the whole, it’s the sort of offering that will keep those on a tight budget in the new-car segment – and help Kia make brand loyalists out of first-time buyers.