Kia EV4 2026 review: Australian first drive

Non-SUV passenger car sales were down again in 2025, now accounting for barely more than one in ten vehicles sold in Australia. But where some importers may see a dead end, Kia Australia sees an opportunity.

Following the launch of both sedan and hatch versions of the Cerato-succeeding petrol-powered K4, the EV4 enters the Australian market in sedan only-guise for now. A five-door hatch version of the electric newcomer is expected later in 2026, though it’s not confirmed just yet.

Korean built and sitting on the same 400-volt version of the E-GMP platform as the delightful EV3 small SUV, the EV4 is capable of up to 612km on a single charge according to WLTP, though even the base short-range version touts a 456km figure.

Prices kick off at $49,990 before on-roads for the three-grade range with the Air, splitting the difference between affordable BYD Seal ($46,990) and recently updated Tesla Model 3 RWD ($54,900), but unlike those rivals the Kia machine drives the front wheels rather than the rears.

Kia is undeterred. After spending months tweaking the EV4 under its local ride and handling program, the local importer promises its first swing at an electric sedan is a joy to drive on Australian roads.

And the driving experience is bundled into a midsize sedan package that touts ample interior space, loads of safety and features sets at various price points to satisfy the sensible folk among us on a variety of budgets.

What are the EV4’s features and options for the price?

Kicking off the range at $49,990 before on-roads, the Air Standard Range price leader is the only grade available with the 58.3kWh (55kWh useable) lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery, with a quoted maximum driving range of 456km.

Features for the base Air include:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights and tail-lights
• Auto power folding / heated mirrors
• Synthetic leather steering wheel
• Cloth seat upholstery
• Six-way manual adjust front seats
• 12.3-inch digital driver’s display
• 12.3-inch multimedia screen
• 5.0-inch climate display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation
• Six-speaker stereo
• Dual-zone climate control
• Vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality

To step up to the larger 81.4kWh (78kWh usable) battery with the 612km driving range claim, buyers need to front up almost $10,000 more for the Earth Long Range, at $59,190 list.

The Earth adds the following features:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Synthetic leather and cloth seat upholstery
• Eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat w/lumbar adjustment
• Heated front seats w/mesh headrests
• V2L exterior adapter

Finally, the top-spec GT-Line Long Range adds a host of sporty and gloss-black trimmings for $64,690 before on-roads.

This flagship GT-Line version adds the following highlight features:

• Synthetic leather seats
• Eight-way power adjustable seats
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Head-up display
• Heated leather steering wheel
• Wireless phone charger
• Sunroof
• Eight-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system
• Privacy glass
• Ambient cabin lighting
• Power-opening boot

How does the EV4 drive?

While primarily focussing on the entry-level Air for this review, we also sampling the Earth and GT-Line grades during the model’s local launch program. Overall, we found the lineup presents a comfortable and confident sedan breed, if not the most exciting one to steer.

At 1805kg kerb, the Air is reasonably lightweight for an EV that’s comfortably midsized (4730mm in length). Combined with chunky sidewalls of 215/60 Kumho tyres mounted on 17-inch alloys, the baseline level is excellent, with the sedan soaking up speed bumps and potholes with ease.

Passive dampers are fitted across the range — no frequency selective items like in EV3 — and they can be overwhelmed on rough roads, occasionally struggling to absorb large bumps. But the modest 2820mm wheelbase and wide stance dispel much of the drama while also giving the EV4 a sense of composure and maturity on the road.

It still feels like what it is, a front-driven small car with a long tail, but the EV4 inspires a general sense of confidence when pushed at pace along a country road, though it never invites you to challenge its limits.

The Earth and GT-Line grades, with a (95kg) heavier battery contributing to a 107kg heftier kerb weight (1912kg) and riding on 19s, sharpen the focus of the EV4 in exchange for a small amount of compliance compromise.

Front-wheel-drive cars can be fun, but where Kia’s smaller EV3 feels playful, the larger EV4 leans into comfort and predictability. Perhaps we’ll see more athleticism when the shorter and lighter EV4 hatch hopefully arrives at a later date — a go-faster, dual-motor GT version is expected globally, if unlikely for Oz.

It’s not as if the EV4 is brimming with grunt, the 150kW/283Nm electric motor fitted across the range is perfectly adequate around town but once loaded with kit and kin, the Kia quickly runs out of puff when overtaking at speeds above 100km/h.

A 0-100km/h time of 7.4 seconds is quoted for the Air, making it the quickest of the trio, while it’s 7.8 seconds claimed for the Earth and GT-Line grades. Unlike its rivals from Tesla and BYD, no peppy all-wheel-drive option is currently offered, either.

Once up to speed, the EV4 Air earns points for its quiet cabin and decent forward visibility, though the letter box-style rear window and blind spots made us long for the GT-Line’s 360-degree camera and blind-spot view monitor, which beams a live feed of your hidden angles into the digital driver’s display.

With so many sedans slammed to the ground like sports cars nowadays, it was notable that the EV4 displayed useful ground clearance, so you can climb a steep driveway or slide over a carpark stopper without fear.

What is the EV4’s interior and tech like?

Considering the cyber-futuristic exterior, the EV4 cabin is comparatively reserved if certainly not short on technology.

The dash consists of a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a 12.3-inch multimedia screen, with an additional 5.0-inch unit tasked with climate control functions, as is common in many current Kia models. Working in conjunction with physical controls on the dash and steering wheel, the layout is easier to comprehend than most rivals.

While we can live without luxuries such as the GT-Line’s head-up display, the fact that the wireless phone charger and privacy glass are reserved for the very top grade feels like a miss.

The base stereo gives another reason to upgrade, with the six-speaker set-up distinctly lacking in bass, warmth and power against GT-Line’s eight-speaker Harmon/Kardon unit.

We spent days fiddling with the seating position of the EV4 Air to try and find a good setting, but the six-way manual seat simply lacked the flexibility to do so, with the high floor leaving our thighs unsupported and legs awkwardly splayed outwards. There’s also a lack of mid-back support in the base vehicle’s seats.

The eight-way power seats on the Earth and GT-Line offer improvement on both fronts, with separate lumbar adjustment to offer greater posture support on long trips.

Kia says the second row is where the EV4 pulls ahead of the Model 3 with greater leg and headroom and the end result is impressively spacious, with plenty of room to accommodate my 183cm frame behind my driving position. Front and rear facing child seats fit with ease, too.

General storage inside the cabin is quite good, with numerous cubbies in both rows.

A respectable boot size of 490 litres is offered in the EV4, surpassing the BYD Seal but not the Model 3 for cargo space, with none offering a spare wheel. Unlike its aforementioned rivals, no frunk is offered on the Kia sedan.

Is the EV4 a safe car?

Local independent authority ANCAP had not rated the EV4 at time of writing, though the EV4 was awarded five stars in Euro NCAP testing.

Although the safety systems are generally well-tuned, Kia’s usual trio of lane keep, driver attention monitoring and speed limit assistance features continue to be more hindrance than help. We found ourselves turning them off most of the time, and annoyingly the trio reactivated upon start-up.

Other notable standard features include:

• Seven airbags including front-centre airbag
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Forward AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Junction/turning assist
• Lane keeping/following assist
• Blind spot collision avoidance
• Rear-cross traffic collision avoidance
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Rear-view camera
• Multi-collision braking
• Adaptive cruise control
• Manual child locks

Stepping up to the Earth nets no extra safety features but the GT-Line includes powered child locks, a 360-degree camera, safe exit assist, blind spot view monitor camera system and rear AEB – the latter of which should really be standard range-wide.

What are the EV4’s ownership costs?

Like all Kias the EV4 falls under a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with an eight-year/150,000km distance limit placed on high-voltage electronic hardware such as the battery and electric motors.

Servicing is capped for seven years, with affordable pre-paid packages offered for three ($688), five ($1308) and seven years ($1,929). Maintenance is due every 12 months or 15,000km, which is quite short for an EV.

The EV4 Air is equipped with a 55kWh useable battery while the Earth and GT-Line run a 78kWh useable unit, with quoted 456km and 612km ranges, respectively, according to WLTP testing.

In terms of efficiency, the Air returned 13.5kWh/100km for a real-world range of 432km. The big battery cars used more energy at 14.5kWh/100km (Earth) for 561km, and 14.9kWh/100km (GT-Line) for 546km, with all falling a little short of their advertised peaks on test.

Kia does not quote peak DC charging speed though it’s middling in the segment. The Air takes 29 minutes to fast-charge from 10-80 percent and the Earth/GT-Line 31 minutes — peak speed is around 135kW.

AC charging up to 10.5kW is also available on the EV4, which is enough to go from flat to full in 5hr 20min for Air, or 7hr 15min in the big-battery cars.

The honest verdict on the EV4

The electric age has sparked a revival in sedan popularity thanks to the strong-selling Model 3 and BYD Seal, with low centres of gravity and torquey performance sparking a sense of everyday joy missing in dull-to-drive SUVs.

At just under $50K before on-roads, the EV4 Air’s value proposition is, however, not a slam dunk.

There are standout missing features, such as reverse AEB and wireless phone charger — when the Model 3 offers lots more for not a whole lot more cash, it’s hard to see the EV4 selling up a storm. The Earth and GT-Line feel more complete, but you pay handsome premium to walk up the range.

It’s a good thing, though, the EV4. With Kia’s smarts when it comes to interior design, generally inexpensive running costs, intelligible technology and decent driving range, the EV4 stacks up as a compelling and comfortable package.