First Impressions
Pull up alongside the Kia EV4 and you'd be forgiven for doing a double-take. This isn't just another generic electric hatchback – it's genuinely distinctive. Those ultra-slim 'Star Map' LED lights give it an almost concept-car appearance, whilst the sharply sculpted bodywork and pronounced wheelarches make it look like it's been carved from a single block of metal. Love it or hate it, you certainly won't mistake it for a Volkswagen ID.3.
What's particularly interesting is that this is Kia's first EV designed specifically for European roads and built in Europe – Slovakia, to be precise, where the much-loved Ceed was produced for nearly two decades. There's a certain poetry to that, replacing one European favourite with an electric successor.
The EV4 comes in two distinct flavours: the practical five-door hatchback and a rather curious fastback saloon with an extended rear end. The fastback looks like someone grafted a modern Cadillac boot onto a standard EV4 – it's certainly different, though the hatchback makes far more sense for most buyers.
Living With the Design
At 4,430mm long, the hatchback is noticeably larger than your average Golf or Astra, yet it sits low and purposeful. The 483mm (19-inch) wheels on GT-Line models look fantastic, though if you're chasing maximum range, the 432mm (17-inch) alloys on Air trim are the sensible choice – they only cost you a handful of kilometres.
The drag coefficient is impressive too: 0.261 for the hatchback, dropping to just 0.23 for the fastback. In real terms, that means less energy wasted pushing air aside, which translates directly into extra kilometres from the battery.
Step Inside
Slide into the driver's seat and you're immediately struck by how light and airy everything feels. There's none of that oppressive black-plastic-cave feeling you get in some EVs. The cabin uses clever texture variety to disguise the fact that yes, most surfaces are hard plastic, but Kia's done a stellar job of making it feel far more premium than the price tag suggests.
The three-screen setup is brilliant. You've got a 312mm (12.3-inch) driver display, matching central touchscreen, and – here's the clever bit – a dedicated 135mm (5.3-inch) screen just for climate controls. The only niggle? The climate screen sits a touch low, partially obscured by the steering wheel rim. You'll find yourself leaning slightly to see it properly, which the driver monitoring system doesn't appreciate.
What really impressed me was Kia's restraint with touchscreen controls. Whilst rivals have gone full minimalist and buried everything in sub-menus, the EV4 keeps chunky physical toggles for temperature and fan speed, plus proper shortcut buttons across the dashboard. It's the kind of thoughtful design that makes daily life easier.
The GT-Line models swap the base car's rather nice fabric trim for artificial leather. Personally, I'd stick with the Air's sofa-like door panels – they're different and give the cabin a more welcoming feel than yet another black leather interior.
On the Road
Fire up the EV4 (well, press the start button on the gear selector stalk) and you're met with... near-silence. Even the air conditioning is the loudest thing at a cruise. On smooth motorway sections, the refinement is genuinely remarkable – luxury-car levels of hush, with barely a whisper of wind or road noise penetrating the cabin.
The single front motor produces 201bhp and 283Nm, which sounds modest on paper but feels perfectly adequate in the real world. The 0-100km/h sprint takes just under 8 seconds in the heavier models, but that stat doesn't tell the full story. What matters is how effortlessly it pulls away from traffic lights and how much reserve power you've got for overtaking – and there's always plenty.
Kia's tuned everything for maximum serenity. The suspension is soft – really soft. On smooth tarmac, it feels absolutely sublime, floating over bumps with barely a whisper filtering through to the cabin. Attack a corner and there's minimal body lean, reasonable grip, and enough composure to make decent progress.
But – and this is important – if you hit a typical European country road with its crests, dips, and general undulating chaos, the EV4 can feel a touch floaty. There's some secondary body movement, a bit of pitch and dive. It's not uncomfortable, just not quite as taut as you might expect. The steering doesn't help – it's light, which is lovely for parking, but offers virtually no feedback about what the front wheels are doing.
Here's the thing though: complaining about the EV4 not being a driver's car misses the point entirely. This isn't trying to be a hot hatch. It's calibrated for maximum chill – and at that, it absolutely excels.
The Regenerative Braking Masterclass
One feature deserves special mention: the regenerative braking system. Most EVs give you one strong one-pedal mode and that's your lot. The EV4 offers four different regen levels via paddles behind the steering wheel, and you can pair any of them with the 'i-Pedal' one-pedal mode by simply holding the right paddle.
It's brilliant because you can have gentle regen that barely slows you down for motorway cruising, or maximum energy recovery for urban driving. And unlike some systems that feel abrupt or artificial, the EV4's setup is beautifully calibrated. The transition between regenerative braking and the physical discs is seamless – you'd never know where one ends and the other begins.
Range Reality Check
Right, let's talk range, because this is where the EV4 really shines. The headline figure for the 81.4kWh 'Long Range' battery is 625km WLTP for the hatchback. Now, we all know WLTP figures are optimistic, but during testing in Spain, the EV4 achieved an exceptional 3.1km per kWh.
Do the maths and that's over 620km real-world range. Yes, Spanish sunshine helped, and cooler European weather will knock that down a bit. But even being pessimistic, you're looking at 480km+ in mixed driving, and high 400s on a motorway blast. That's genuinely impressive – over 160km more than a Renault Megane E-Tech can manage.
The entry-level 58.3kWh battery claims 440km, which should translate to a genuine 320km+ in typical use. For most people's daily driving, that's more than sufficient, and you save nearly €5,000.
Charging isn't quite as rapid as the 800-volt EV6 and EV9 – the EV4 uses a 400-volt system with a 135kW maximum charge rate. But 10-80% in under 30 minutes is hardly slow, and for most users, that's perfectly adequate. Plug in whilst you grab lunch and you're good for another 320km+.
One gripe: the heat pump that helps preserve range in cold weather is a €900 option, and only on the top-spec GT-Line S. Given European winters, that should really be standard across the range.
Space and Practicality
That long wheelbase pays dividends inside. Even with the driver's seat set for someone over 180cm tall, there's genuinely ample legroom in the back. Headroom is good too, and the flat floor means three adults can squeeze across without too much moaning. The floor is quite high, typical of EVs, so taller passengers don't get much under-thigh support, but you can't have everything.
The boot is brilliant – 435 litres easily beats a Golf, ID.3, Astra, Civic, and Corolla. There's no awkward load lip like you get in the Megane, and the space is nicely shaped. Charging cables hide in the underfloor storage, keeping them out of sight. Drop the rear seats and you've got 1,415 litres to play with.
The fastback offers an even bigger 490-litre boot, but the saloon-style opening and wheelarch intrusion make it less practical for bulky items. It's an airport taxi special, really.
The Money Bit
Pricing kicks off at €34,700 for the Air with the smaller battery – and crucially, this qualifies for various national EV incentives across Europe. The Long Range Air also gets incentives in most markets, making these the value picks in the range. GT-Line and GT-Line S models may exceed thresholds depending on your country.
The fastback starts at €42,500, pitching it against the Tesla Model 3, BYD Seal, and MG IM5.
Compared to rivals, the EV4 stacks up well. It's pricier than a base ID.3, but closer to equivalently-specced versions, and you're getting significantly more range and kit. The MG4 undercuts it substantially, but the Kia feels far more premium and refined.
Standard Air equipment is generous: 432mm alloys, twin 312mm screens, wireless phone connectivity, heated seats and wheel, reversing camera, adaptive cruise, keyless entry. GT-Line adds sportier looks, two-tone leather, wireless charging, and ambient lighting. GT-Line S brings the full toy box: sunroof, head-up display, Harman Kardon audio, ventilated seats, electric boot, adaptive LEDs.
Insurance costs vary by market, but expect premiums to be slightly higher than some rivals. You do get Kia's remarkable seven-year/150,000km warranty, which obliterates the three years from German rivals.
Safety Kit
Every EV4 comes with the full DriveWise ADAS pack, ensuring the five-star Euro NCAP rating. You get multiple airbags, adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, collision avoidance, lane-keep assist, safe exit warning, and a reversing camera. Top models add parking sensors, 360-degree cameras, and blind-spot monitoring that shows live camera feeds when you indicate.
The frustration is disabling some of the more annoying systems. Lane-keep has a steering wheel button, and you can kill the speed limit nanny by holding the volume dial, but everything else requires diving into touchscreen menus. It's distracting and unnecessarily complicated.
Kia's reliability used to be stellar, though recent satisfaction surveys show some decline. The seven-year warranty provides solid peace of mind regardless.
The Verdict
Here's the truth about the Kia EV4: it's not going to set your pulse racing. The steering is numb, the suspension is soft, and it prioritises comfort over cornering precision. If you want driving thrills, wait for the EV4 GT with 300-400bhp, or buy something else entirely.
But judge it on what it's actually trying to be – a serene, comfortable, practical family EV – and it's genuinely excellent. The refinement is outstanding. The range is class-leading and achievable in the real world. The cabin is spacious, well-equipped, and thoughtfully designed. The seven-year warranty provides proper peace of mind.
After a week with the EV4, what struck me most was how unstressful it made everything. Long motorway runs felt effortless. Stop-start traffic was relaxing rather than frustrating. Range anxiety simply wasn't a thing, even on longer trips.
The hatchback makes far more sense than the fastback for most buyers – it's more practical and marginally more efficient. Stick with Air trim unless you genuinely want the extras; it's well-equipped and gets incentive discounts in most markets.
For families wanting a hassle-free electric car that does everything well without drama, the Kia EV4 is a genuinely compelling choice. It won't make you grin like a GTI, but it might just make your daily life considerably more pleasant.
Rating: 4.5/5
What Works: - Exceptional 625km range that you can actually achieve - Whisper-quiet refinement at all speeds - Spacious cabin with proper rear legroom - Intelligent mix of touchscreen and physical controls - Industry-leading seven-year warranty - Distinctive styling that stands out
What Doesn't: - Vague steering lacks any real feedback - Soft suspension feels floaty on poor surfaces - Insurance premiums higher than some rivals - Heat pump should be standard, not a pricey option - Climate screen awkwardly positioned behind wheel