2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo Evaluation & Take a look at Drive : Automotive Addicts

Kia has undoubtedly made some main inroads with their standing within the automotive trade and are legitimately seemed upon by many as an equal with its direct opponents. For the compact sedan phase, an space that appears to retain some momentum even with the rising demand for crossovers, Kia brings us the all-new K4 taking the place of the outgoing Kia Forte.

For the basics of a mainstream compact sedan, the brand new Kia K4 does all that it must by way of offering a good quantity of kit as to not really feel overly low cost and carry on tempo with others just like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The K4 places itself on the market as considerably of a mildew breaker for its considerably aggressive styling however to not the purpose of being offensive in in the slightest degree.

One would conclude that its fashion is forward-moving, the place it seems prefer it performs higher than it does whenever you go for the 147-horsepower base engine, which I had an opportunity to drive months in the past in a restricted capability, strolling away disillusioned with its lackluster acceleration and constantly variable transmission. Nonetheless, this week, Kia despatched me the K4 GT-Line Turbo, which supplies the K4 some much-needed additional energy, 190 horsepower, and 195 lb-ft of torque from a 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder despatched via an 8-speed automated transmission to the entrance wheels. The turbocharged engine feels at residence on the K4’s platform, but with some hesitation in its preliminary response to throttle enter. Such a slight hiccup is an unlucky takeaway from a good engine that ought to in any other case really feel livelier than it does. Nonetheless, it scoots the K4 alongside nicely and a lot better than the base-level naturally aspirated 4-cylinder present in all K4 trims besides my top-level K4 GT-Line Turbo take a look at automobile trim. For my part, Kia ought to solely supply the turbocharged engine – however that’s the fanatic in me speaking.

General, efficiency is first rate for many who purchase such a automobile, nevertheless it tends to falter whenever you begin to push the K4 in the slightest degree, with essentially the most noticeable misstep being the entrance suspension that tends to loft round when going over average to main undulations and highway rises. Such a sense isn’t comforting whenever you want to make the most of all that the turbocharged engine has to provide, which is sufficient to hit 60 mph in about 7 seconds flat. In any other case, the K4 GT-Line Turbo has a snug and agreeable journey high quality – simply don’t do something remotely Quick & Livid fashion and also you’ll be simply high quality.

Gasoline financial system is at an anticipated stage for the K4 GT-Line Turbo, usually besting each the EPA mixed 29 mpg estimate and 26 mpg determine. On the freeway, the 36 mpg EPA estimate appears about proper, however you could come up simply in need of such in the event you wish to drive above the posted Interstate velocity restrict. There’s a good 446-mile cruising vary with a full 12.4-gallon tank of normal unleaded gas.

The inside area of the Kia K4 is good, particularly for its phase. Right here, Kia did their homework to provide customers exactly what they need and hardly deviates from such a system with flash. Furthermore, there are extra soft-touch surfaces than I anticipated, making the cabin really feel extra premium and becoming to match its trendy and exuberant exterior. Kia didn’t skimp on the gear, both. For the highest trim K4 GT-Line Turbo you get many of the desirables, together with the highlights of heated and ventilated entrance seats, wi-fi smartphone charger, color-selectable LED ambient lighting, energy sunroof with an influence sunshade, 360-degree encompass view digital camera system, 18-inch wheels, LED fog lights, rear air vents, and naturally the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster flanking the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.

One other side wherein the Kia K4 shines is its inside, which provides ample seating area, with the rear seats having a shocking quantity of room that just about rivals midsize sedans. The entrance seats have a number of adjustability, and admittedly, it took me some time to discover a comfy driving place and reserve it as a part of the drive’s reminiscence seat perform. As soon as discovered, I felt at residence within the K4 – even with me being nicely over 6 ft tall, which I loved, as such a automobile has wide-opening doorways for simpler ingress and egress. One neat merchandise is the K4 GT-Line Turbo’s steering wheel, which is formed in a different way than most, not solely with a flat backside but additionally a flat prime – a kind of cheeky traits that some could like or hate.

By way of security, Kia put their finest efforts into the K4 as they do for all their automobiles, incorporating all of the anticipated energetic security options, additionally together with the freeway driving help 2 system that allows some semi-autonomous driving on the freeway however will nonetheless require a contact on the steering wheel. Kia additionally continues with their trick blind-spot view monitor, which brings up a reside digital camera feed within the digital gauge cluster of the blind-spot when signaling. In any other case, you’ve the standard lane preserve help/departure warning, ahead collision warning/emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic/collision avoidance, and protected exit warning.

Surprisingly, regardless of the hatchback-esq look, the K4 remains to be a definitive sedan. The trunk is a conventional opening for a sedan, with a complete of 14.6 cubic ft, however the look could finally pay homage to the forthcoming K4 hatchback that we up to date you on months in the past. That one must be a neat automobile if it makes use of this turbocharged engine.

The worth proposition in Kia’s lineup stays sturdy, however with barely rising costs throughout the board. Although the Kia K4 begins at a good stage, round $21,990 earlier than any charges or choices for the bottom LX trim. Transferring all the best way up via a complete of 5 trim ranges to the top-level K4 GT-Line Turbo, you’ll look to spend $31,445 for what you see in my take a look at automobile, which incorporates the $2,200 GT-Line Turbo Know-how Package deal.

Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice within the automotive media world for over 20 years. With 20+ years of hands-on expertise masking the trade, Malcolm has constructed a status for delivering sincere opinions, sharp insights, and in-depth protection of the whole lot from new automotive debuts to high-performance take a look at drives. Passionate concerning the evolving automotive tradition and staying forward of the curve, Malcolm continues to steer Automotive Addicts as a go-to vacation spot for fans and trade insiders alike.