The Kia K4 is a compact sedan with sleek styling and a strong emphasis on value. It competes with vehicles such as the Honda Civic, the Mazda3, the Toyota Corolla, and the Volkswagen Jetta.
2027 Kia K4 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2027 Kia K4
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2027 Kia K4
The Kia K4 goes into its third model year mostly unchanged, following its introduction for 2025 as the replacement for the Kia Forte. The lineup consists of sedan and hatchback variants, the latter of which we review separately. The K4 sedan’s updates for 2027 include a new red interior color palette, available exclusively with GT-Line and GT-Line Turbo trim levels with a Steel Gray exterior. The GT-Line Premium Package now adds 18-inch black-finished alloy wheels.
Design
Where the Forte was a cheerful, attractive compact sedan, the K4 went sleek with a fastback profile. Though it’s still a small car in terms of proportions, it looks and feels a bit bigger than most of its contemporaries thanks to its strong visual presence. Upscale details such as intricate alloy wheel designs and pillar-integrated door handles are nice touches at this price. The Kia K4 sedan comes standard with 16-inch wheels and is available with 17-inch and 18-inch wheels.
Powertrain
In base form, the Kia K4 looks a lot sportier than it actually is. Most K4s get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT), putting an uninspiring 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. The GT-Line Turbo model helps to rectify the discrepancy, with a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that makes a satisfying 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. According to the EPA, the base engine is good for up to 33 mpg combined, which drops to 28 mpg combined for the turbocharged engine.
Interior
The K4 sedan has generous seating space for a compact sedan, although the seats themselves leave something to be desired with little adjustment except in top trim levels. The otherwise-attractive cabin has plenty of plastic trim, though there’s some effort to put the smarter materials in sightlines. Standard features include cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, keyless entry, and remote start. Options include split-folding rear seats, upgraded cloth upholstery with synthetic leather trim, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, synthetic leather upholstery, ambient lighting, and ventilated front seats. The K4’s trunk can accommodate 14.6 cubic feet of gear, which is competitive for the class.
Technology
In base form, the Kia K4 combines a 4-inch digital driver display with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. Higher trims switch out the 4-inch display in favor of a 12.3-inch display, which is then combined with the touchscreen under a single pane of glass. Other options include wireless charging and an eight-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.
