Kia

EV4

The Kia EV4 is a fully electric small family hatchback that provides plenty of interior space and an impressive claimed electric range. With four well-specced trim levels to choose from and the option of a four-door Fastback saloon, it offers something for everyone.

Test Drive

Kia EV4 GT-Line – First Drive (2026)

When it comes to EVs, Kia has come on leaps and bounds with its models and in recent years the company’s effort to add some spark into this growing sector has really paid off.

The budget-friendly days of Kia are behind us and now the Korean firm is churning out some of the most desirable and likeable cars on the market today, with their solid build quality, handsome exterior styling and impressive battery technology.

With its electric car product strategy in full swing, the market is gaining momentum and the Kia EV4 is the next model to join the range – a compact five-door electric family hatchback built to take on the Vauxhall Astra Electric and Volkswagen ID.3.

The EV4 will be offered in two very distinctive body styles: a five-door hatch and four-door saloon called the ‘Fastback.’ Both models have bold and daring designs with their squared-off styling, chunky wheel arches and quirky alloy wheels, while their cabins seem to use a similar layout to Kia’s other EV models.

Three trim levels are available called Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S, while the Fastback can be specced in GT-Line and GT-Line S trims. All cars are front-wheel drive and the five-door hatchback model will also receive a hot ‘GT’ variant later down the line.

In terms of design, the EV4 uses Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design language and Tiger Face front end with its vertical headlights, floating roof design, flush door handles, black vertical C-pillar and rear roof spoiler. However, the Fastback is longer and lower than the hatch, giving it a coupe-like silhouette, and although its styling may divide opinion, we quite like its unusual looks.

The cabin on the EV4 uses the same stylish, minimalist yet functional layout as other electric Kia models with a trio of screens that runs the near-width of the dashboard, combining a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a small 5.3-inch climate control panel.

Underneath, the EV4 can be opted with a choice of two battery packs with a 58.3kWh unit available on the entry-level car that offers a claimed range of up to 388 miles and is priced from £30,995, and this model is eligible for the maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant saving from the government. We tested the range-topping GT-Line S model that comes as standard with a larger 81.4kWh set-up and provides a claimed range of up to 362 miles between charging, and this model comes in at £43,880.

There’s no shortage of standard kit with all models equipped with LED headlights, heated front seats and steering wheel, plus automatic climate-controlled air conditioning. Our flagship GT-Line S car featured two-tone artificial leather upholstery, a head-up display, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system and a reversing camera.

Ergonomically, there is a nice blend of physical and touchscreen controls throughout the cabin along with Kia’s AI assistant which is powered by ChatGPT. This can assist with several tasks such as planning routes from the car’s satellite navigation system or lowering the temperature of the interior. It is brought to life by saying: “Hey Kia”.

Out on the road the EV4 impresses in all areas. Our test car’s powertrain produces 201bhp and 283Nm of torque from its single electric motor, while it can hit 62mph in 7.9 seconds and will go onto a top speed of 105mph. Meanwhile, our GT-Line S test car has a range of 362 miles, which is slightly off the pace from the entry-level car’s 388-mile range, though it’s not far off.

It might not be the most engaging EV out there, but very few are as complete and as well-rounded as the EV4 when it comes to comfort and refinement. Power is plentiful from the single electric motor, making it easy to overtake slower-moving traffic and is much more beneficial when joining a motorway. On a twisty country road, the steering provides a nice balance between weight and feel, plus the car can hold its own through the corners with limited body lean.

The steering wheel-mounted paddles allow the driver to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking, and there is an i-Pedal setting that will bring the car to a complete standstill without touching the brakes at all – making it ideal in stop-start city driving.

Furthermore, there are five different drive modes to choose from with Eco, Normal, Sport, MyDrive and Snow. Sport mode adds a sharper throttle response and makes the whole experience feel much more dynamic.

When it comes to practicality, the hatchback offers more room inside with two six-footers sitting comfortably in the front, while there is ample space in the back for two more adults or three young children. It’s worth noting that the Fastback variant has less headroom with taller occupants finding they will brush their heads against the roofline. Storage includes a glove box, door bins, a central cubby, seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders, a wireless charging pad, a large storage area beneath the centre console, some trays and four USB-C ports.

The EV4 Hatchback has a wide and square tailgate with a boot capacity of  435 litres, or 1,415 litres with the split-folding rear bench dropped down. However, the Fastback’s narrower aperture makes it less practical and would be harder to fit a pushchair in the back.

When it comes to charging, the 58.3kWh EV4 can be topped up via a 150kW DC rapid charger, taking 29 minutes for a 10 to 80 per cent charge, while an 11kW AC device will take 5 hours, 20 minutes.

The larger 81.4kWh battery takes 31 minutes to go from 10 to 80 per cent on a 150kW charger, and will replenish the same charge from an 11kW wallbox in 7 hours, 15 minutes.

It’s worth knowing too that GT-Line S examples of the EV4 come with a handy Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function, which allows electrical appliances such as a laptop or camping equipment to be plugged in using the car’s battery pack.

The EV4 features the latest safety systems and driver assist technology, while the four-door Fastback was crash tested by Euro NCAP and was awarded four stars. All models also come with Kia’s seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty and there is an eight-year guarantee on the battery pack.

The EV4 demonstrates that Kia knows a thing or two when it comes to designing and developing a great all-round EV. With attractive prices, well-equipped trim levels, daring styling and well-polished driving dynamics, the EV4 may have just set the new benchmark in the electric family hatchback class.