Peter Lyon
February 27, 2025
Kia’s all-new EV4 was unveiled this week, demonstrating how closely the actual model resembles the concept.
In the UK and Europe, the Volkswagen ID.3 competitor will be offered as a hatchback and, surprisingly, a saloon. The two vehicles have the same wheelbase and E-GMP platform, but the saloon’s enlarged rear overhang makes it 300mm longer overall. The EV4 saloon meanwhile is 35 mm longer than an EV6 at 4,730 mm.
Customers will have the option of two batteries—”Base” and “Long Range.” The 58.3kWh battery pack will do up to 267 miles on a charge, while the 81.4kWh unit increases this figure to a maximum of 391 miles in the saloon.
Although Kia has not provided a peak charging speed, all models require about 30 minutes to charge from 10% to 80% using a DC rapid charger. Additionally, the firm has verified that the EV4 will be available with both Vehicle to Grid (V2G) and Vehicle to Load (V2L) capabilities.
Any EV4 you choose will have a single electric motor up front that generates 201 horsepower. There aren’t any dual-motor all-wheel drive vehicles available now, but a Kia EV4 GT with up to 300 horsepower is in the pipeline.
With the smaller 58kWh battery, the lighter car should sprint from 0-100 km/h in 7.4 seconds. The saloon and hatch both post the same 0-100 sprint time, and all models have a top speed of 106 mph. The 81kWh model finishes the 0-100 in 7.7 seconds.
With a multi-link arrangement up the back, the front suspension is a MacPherson strut design that is “EV-specialized.” According to Kia, the vehicle’s improved body rigidity and shape “improve cornering stability and dynamic response.” Additionally, it has one-pedal driving and the company’s i-Pedal 3.0 regenerative braking system.
With matching headlight clusters, vertical DRLs, and a comparable clamshell-style hood, the front is actually nearly identical to the concept revealed back in 2023. The dark strip that runs the width of the hood is thinner at the outer edges, but the lower air intake remains almost untouched.
The cabin will feel familiar to Kia diehards with the dashboard dominated by a huge 30-inch panoramic display comprising a 12.3-inch central screen, five-inch climate control panel and an additional 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The EV4 should come to market at around £31,000.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
Boasting some of the best styling in the car industry today, the Kia EV4 is futuristic and well proportioned, and certainly blows its main rival — the ID.3 — out of the water in the aesthetics department. And with up to 390 miles of range and quick charging it is certainly taking the challenge right up to the German competitor.
