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The Kia EV4 is available as a C-segment hatchback, or as a fastback saloon, with an impressive electric driving range of up to 388 miles with the long range battery option.
We’ve had various electric SUVs and crossovers from Kia over recent years, but so far there’s been no electric C-segment hatchback, and certainly no electric saloon – until now; enter the Kia EV4…
The Kia EV4 comes in two body styles: a C-segment hatchback, or a fastback saloon. It’s also available with two battery sizes: 58.3 kWh standard range or 81.4 kWh long range. All Kia EV4 models have the same power (201 bhp) and are front-wheel drive. There are three model grades – ‘Air’ (EV4 hatch only), ‘GT-Line’, and ‘GT-Line S’.
The EV4 hatchback is 4,430mm – 4,450mm long, and the EV4 Fastback is 300mm longer, at 4,730mm. The EV4 hatch has a 435-litre boot (1,415 litres with rear seats folded), with the EV4 Fastback boasting a larger boot of 490 litres. Rear legroom should keep most passengers happy.
The Kia EV4 shares the front-wheel drive layout of the Kia EV3 (an SUV/crossover). The torque of an electric motor doesn’t normally sit happily with front-wheel drive due to the resultant wheelspin and torque steer, but this seems to be managed reasonably effectively in the EV4. This is likely to be due in part to the sensible levels of power and torque (201 bhp and 283 Nm) and the 0 to 62 mph time of 7.5 seconds.
These figures translate to perfectly sufficient performance in real-world driving, along with decent handling and comfortable ride quality. And the EV4 is predictably quiet and refined.
Like other Kia EVs, the gear selector is located on the right-hand side of the steering column, with steering wheel-mounted paddles to adjust the level of regenerative braking. A brilliantly convenient button at the bottom of the steering wheel gives the options of five drive modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, MyDrive and Snow.
The EV4 shares a similar dashboard layout to other EVs from the brand: there’s a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, a 12.3-inch driver’s display, and a 5.3-inch climate control screen sandwiched between the other two screens. As in the Kia EV9, this means that the climate screen is partially obscured by the steering wheel rim, and in what is an excellent overall interior environment, there’s one other issue: the shortcut controls on the centre console under the touchscreen are very hard to see in certain light conditions. This is a bit of a shock, because for many years Kia has given us some of the clearest dashboard controls.
Other elements of the cockpit are brilliant examples of the normal thoughtful and user-friendly approach from Kia. As well as the drive mode switch being easy to reach on the steering wheel, there’s also a button on the wheel that you can press to banish the lane departure warning system. You can even switch off the beeping speed limit warning by pressing the volume button on the wheel. There are physical controls for the heating and ventilation. The USB-C sockets are also easily accessible, compared to many other brands that seem to be hiding them away in the most difficult to reach places. And, thank goodness, you still get physical controls for the door mirrors rather than these being buried in the touchscreen, as in many Chinese brands (and Tesla).
One interesting feature is that the driver’s instrument display has an image of the rear of the car and shows when the brake lights come on. This is a useful feature so you can see the effect of regen braking on the brake lights, yet historically it’s only Tesla that has been the main manufacturer to show such a graphic.
The EV4 has ‘Rest’ and ‘Theatre’ modes. Rest mode switches off the displays and dynamic ambient lighting, and both front seats can recline to create a makeshift bed. Theatre mode allows the use of apps such as Disney+, Netflix and YouTube on the central infotainment screen when taking a break or stopping to charge.
The Kia EV4 is available with a choice of 58.3 kWh standard range or 81.4 kWh long range battery packs. The EV4 ‘Air’ (hatchback) has a range of up to 388 miles with the larger 81.4 kWh battery (Kia’s first EV with a range of more than 380 miles).
The interesting comparison is between the range of the hatch and the fastback in the same trim levels. The EV4 ‘GT-Line’ 81.4 kWh Hatchback has a range of 362 miles; the EV4 ‘GT-Line’ 81.4 kWh Fastback has a range of 380 miles. So the range increases from 362 miles to 380 miles by the addition of a boot, which makes the car longer and more aerodynamic. In fact the EV4 hatch has a drag coefficient of 0.261Cd, whereas the Fastback reduces this to 0.23Cd (and is Kia’s most aerodynamic production car ever).
In both body styles, Active Air Flaps in the front bumper open automatically to optimise cooling efficiency and maximise aerodynamic performance, and up to 82.5% of the car’s underside is covered by a near full body undercover, further aiding effective air flow.
The Kia EV4 hatch with the 58.3 kWh battery has a range of up to 273 miles.
One statistic that is slightly disappointing for a Kia EV is the maximum rapid charging rate of 127 kW. The Kia EV6 has a maximum rapid charging rate of 258 kW, which is more than double that of the EV4. However the EV4 is still able to rapid charge from 10% to 80% in just 29 minutes (31 minutes for the long range battery). An 11kW AC charger takes 5 hours and 20 minutes, or 7 hours and 15 minutes for models with the long range battery.
It should be noted that the EV4 doesn’t come with a heat pump as standard; this is only available as an option with the EV4 and EV4 Fastback ‘GT-Line S’ variants, for an additional £900.
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality is also only featured on EV4 ‘GT-Line S’ models, which allows the car to power electrical devices from the external charging socket or from the interior 3-pin plug.
The Kia EV4 is available in two body styles, a hatchback, or a fastback saloon. It’s also available with two battery sizes: 58.3 kWh standard range or 81.4 kWh long range. There are three model grades – ‘Air’ (EV4 hatch only), ‘GT-Line’, and ‘GT-Line S’. ‘GT-Line S’ variants feature extra equipment such as a 360-degree surround view monitor, blind-spot view monitor and customisable head-up display (HUD) as standard.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the hatch is expected to be the biggest seller in the UK, with around 85% of sales.
Prices for the Kia EV4 Hatchback start at £34,695 for the ‘Air’ grade with the 58.3kWh battery, rising to £45,330 for the ‘GT-Line S’ Fastback. Our Kia EV4 ‘GT-Line S’ test car was priced at £43,895. The ‘Blue flame’ premium paint of our test car is an extra £650.
The Kia EV4 is well designed inside and out, and is as good to drive as you would expect one of the latest EVs from the brand. The main decision you’ll need to make is whether you opt for the more practical hatch or the more striking-looking fastback. Either way, you’ll get an EV with an impressively long range for this class of car, although the charging speed could be a bit faster. The Kia EV4 is awarded a Green Car Guide rating of 9 out of 10.
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