The New 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line is a Breath of Fresh Air

The 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line has a lot to offer people who want a little more style, tech, and a little more oomph in their small-sedan drive. The K4 is distinctive-looking with ‘Star Map’ lighting, the LED headlights that wrap around the front corners at a right angle. The amber light and stacked cube headlights echo those on Kia’s other cars like the EV9.

The black gloss grille and air vents that make it look sporty and I love how the line of the hood follows the LEDs across the front of the car. The LED taillights do the same, and frame the rear of the car so beautifully.

The sculpted trunk lid and lower bumper make the car look so cohesive from the back and I could not be happier about that. The K4 has a sloped rear roofline, looking more like a fastback than I expected, and this is where it may gain some detractors, but I do think there’s a little nod to the Forte there. 

The K4 GT-Line with the Premium Package I drove has 18-inch blacked-out alloy wheels and trim, giving it a performance look. I wondered whether the sloped roofline would create a big blind spot, but it didn’t.

Read: The Kia K5 Review: Why This New Kia Sedan Breaks My Heart

There are two engine options with the GT-Line trims, the GT-Line is front-wheel drive only and comes with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that generates 147 horsepower. It has really good acceleration, I loved how quick and how quiet it was.

It’s paired with a CVT that keeps everything smooth. For people who like to feel pinned back in their seats, the GT-Line Turbo will appeal. It’s got a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine that gives you 190 horsepower a kick of speed that is the hallmark of a turbo engine.

The GT-Line Turbo has an 8-speed transmission, so it’s got a more traditional drive feel. I was very impressed with the drive of the 2.0 liter, it accelerated so efficiently and smoothly that I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to take the car on a road trip.

It did quite well on the twisty roads of my drive route. I thought it was such a good, solid ride and I was delighted with it. The braking was responsive, a little on the aggressive side before I adjusted a little.

The steering was precise and the unique shape looked cool. It was comfortable in my hands. And of course, there are controls there for the adaptive cruise control system and the lane-keep assist system.

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One of my favorite features of the Kia K4 GT-Line was the high-resolution live-camera feed that appears on the driver display when you activate the turning signal; it fills the tachometer (right turn signal) or the speedometer (left turn signal) on the driver’s display and shows a video feed of the car’s blind spot. Thankfully it’s included on all Kia vehicles, even the base models.

The K4 comes with plenty of standard driver-assist and safety features, some of which I didn’t have a chance to fully test with this first drive. But know that the K4 also comes with driver-attention warning, forward-collision warning, and avoidance, forward collision avoidance with junction turning, and smart cruise control with stop-and-go functions.

There are also more available features as well, like auto emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and parking assist.

Read: Hyundai Elantra, a Modern Stylish Sedan

The Kia K4’s interior is definitely a home run for me. It looks upscale with the two-toned synthetic leather seat. My test car had black seats with an ivory trim. It kept the interior feeling bright, as everything else was dark.

The seats were very comfortable, adding to my desire to just keep driving. What made the interior look particularly modern is the dual 12.3-inch screens housed behind one long piece of glass.

The multimedia system is accessed by one of the 12.3-inch screens, and the other screen houses the driver information system. That one can be customized using the toggles on the steering wheel. 

If you’d rather just ask for what you want, you can use Kia’s AI assistant. Simply say, “Hey, Kia,” and make your request. You can ask for locations of all kinds of places and even ask a follow-up question. Like when you ask, “Hey, Kia, where is the nearest Mexican restaurant?” The system will reply and you can then ask, “When is it open?” Another option is to start navigation to the location. It’s really cool.

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The K4’s multimedia system is easy to use after a few minutes spent figuring it out. It’s relatively intuitive and you can use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if you don’t like the K4’s built in navigation or prefer your own music rather than the radio.

It was also incredibly easy to use and interpret, as the dual-screen setup is very driver-oriented and responsive. Plus, the “Hey Kia” feature means you don’t have to touch it as much while driving. Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri work that way, too.

Some unique technology in the GT-Line includes a MyQ garage-door operation, and a collaboration with the NBA allows K4 owners to download a package for them to customize their multimedia screen.

Pick your favorite team and get a variety of logos and color schemes to personalize your Kia K4, if that’s your jam.

It’s super roomy inside the 2025 Kia K4, and the automaker asserts it’s got more room in the back seat than its competitors such as Honda Civic and Subaru Impreza. My driver’s seat was set to my driving height, and the seat scooted back automatically (the Easy Entry function was set!) for me to get out. Then I went and sat in the back seat and I had all kinds of space.

The headroom was ample for me, and there were a few people in our group who are over 6 feet tall who commented the rear headroom was good. Obviously, if you are carrying tall people in the rear seat regularly, you’ll want to investigate that on your own.

I did note that the door opening is not flush with the roofline, so you need to duck your head getting in and out.

For kids car seats, there are two sets of latch connectors, located in the rear outboard seats; there is also a top tether in the center seating position. The anchors were all easily accessible behind plastic housings.

Cargo space in the Kia K4 is good with 14.6 cubic feet of space; it should be able to hold several carry-on-sized suitcases with no problem. 

The Kia K4 is a fun, distinctive car. It’s a great drive and gives buyers a lot of modern features. Though the K4 GT-Line and GT-Turbo aren’t exactly inexpensive, they are a cool alternative to other sedans with less panache.

And, the Kia K4’s low center of gravity, own-the-road feel and agile easiness will remind you why you love driving a sedan. Which is so refreshing.