Kia is planning an onslaught of EVs in the coming years, with as many as 14 electric cars in its global lineup by 2027, and among those will be some smaller, actually more affordable EVs. There’s the EV3 crossover, which has already been unveiled in production guise though it won’t hit the U.S. until next year. Next up will be the EV4 sedan and hatchback, and thanks to my girlfriend who snapped some spy photos of her own, we’ve now seen the EV4 testing on a Southern California freeway.
While at first glance this compact sedan has similarities to the gas-powered Kia K4 that’s already been on sale for months, this is definitely the EV4, which was previewed by a concept in the fall of 2023. Its design is funkier and more angular than the K4, with a unique greenhouse and upright lights. Check out those weird wheels, too!
While we still don’t have specs or many details for the EV4 yet, we do know that it’ll ride on Hyundai Group’s E-GMP platform, which also underpins nearly every Hyundai, Kia and Genesis EV. Unlike cars such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV9, the EV4 will probably be front-wheel drive with the possible option of all-wheel drive. As with the EV3, the EV4 will likely use the 400-volt version of the E-GMP platform to keep costs down.
In addition to the sedan that my girlfriend saw, a hatchback version of the EV4 has been spied testing on European roads, though whether or not it will be offered in the U.S. is up in the air. Interior spy shots of the EV4 also show it following the design language of the K4, which has 30 inches of screen up front for the driver.
We expect the Kia EV4 to make its debut within the next few months, likely going on sale later in 2025 as a 2026 model year. As for the price, it should come in at around $35,000 to start, undercutting both the Niro EV and EV6 by at least a few grand.
