Combustion engine complements electric car: test drive in the compact Kia K4 - cheaper than the electric car

In addition to its major electric offensive, Kia is also continuing to modernize its combustion-engined lineup, for example, with the new compact K4. ntv.de has already taken a seat in the stylishly designed front-wheel-drive model.

I casually walk past the new Kia K4 and think to myself, "Where on earth is this new thing?" – until someone points it out. Now it becomes clear: the bronze-yellow lifestyle car isn't an EV4 at all, but the new K4! Once you know it and take a closer look, the differences in design are noticeable. It's not the basic shape, though; it's more the details that differentiate the 4.44-meter-long gasoline-powered car from its electric counterpart.

The surest way to identify the K4 is by looking at its horizontally mounted taillights. The EV4, like the other electric models, has vertical taillights. However, the conservatively powered Korean car doesn't appear any less extroverted.

The interior design of the combustion engine and the electric models are also similar. Like the updated Sportage, the K4 also benefits from the large front screen – it's hard to satisfy digital natives any other way these days, even in the combustion engine world. A modified user interface is intended to make all features even more intuitive to use, but that will have to be clarified in future tests. A few physical buttons remain, though the automatic climate control is controlled via touch in the dedicated area between the two large display units.

In addition, a voice assistant is available, which now boasts a wider range of functions and is also AI-supported. Users can view various vehicle information via the app, and it will also be possible to activate the vehicle via smartphone (digital key). Wireless smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto will be just as standard in the lower mid-size combustion-engined vehicle as a Wi-Fi hotspot with online streaming services.

Wide range of engines

Speaking of combustion engines: What's actually hiding under the athletically curved hood of the K4? Reading this, it certainly sounds like something more or less bourgeois. With an eye on those customers who find many things increasingly unaffordable, the manufacturer is starting with a sedate 115 hp from a precisely one-liter three-cylinder turbo. This is paired with a manual six-speed transmission.

The engine is also available in a mild hybrid version (48 volts) with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The latter also transmits the torque of two 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines with 150 and 180 hp, respectively.

The interior dimensions are interesting. Although Kia's press release mentions a spacious rear compartment with 964 millimeters of legroom (2.72 meters wheelbase), the combustion engine apparently has a disadvantage in terms of space utilization. The battery-electric counterpart offers a slight increase in legroom (970 millimeters) despite a ten-centimeter longer wheelbase.

The figures may be academic, but the difference is clear. The Ceed successor is still a decent all-rounder. And it doesn't skimp on trunk space, either, with 438 liters of trunk space with the backrests upright. However, hybrid customers will have to make do with 110 liters less.

Proven assistance also in K4

Customers also have to contend with a wide range of driver assistance features, not all of which are always well-received. However, the blind spot warning system, which displays a camera image when the turn signal is activated, has proven its worth – available in the new K4, as does an active emergency braking system and active steering. Adaptive cruise control with its diverse active control options has also become an integral part of the compact segment.

While the K4 is already available as a sedan in the US, it will arrive in Europe in early 2026 as the hatchback, which has just been shown. It will complement the range for customers who aren't yet ready for a purely electric vehicle. Pricing is currently a matter of speculation, but the current compact class, called the Ceed, already starts at €26,990. Even if the K4 were to cost a few thousand euros more, it would presumably still be significantly cheaper than an EV4 with a base price of €37,590.