2026 Kia EV4 Up Close: Did Kia Just Build a Tesla Model 2?
Don’t tell the South Koreans that Americans don’t want electric vehicles. Despite slower than expected growth in the segment, they’re continuing to announce more variants and models of EVs destined for the U.S., and the latest is the 2026 Kia EV4. Debuting at the 2025 New York International Auto Show, it’s a wildly styled compact sedan that might arrive just in time for people tired of waiting for the long-promised mass-market Tesla Model 2 to show up. Featuring Kia’s excellent electric technology and a healthy dose of standout styling, it’s sure to turn some heads — but will it open some wallets?
Distinctive Looks, But Not for Everyone
You can say one thing for sure about all of the new Kia designs: They don’t look like anything else on the road. Whether that’s a good thing or not is subjective, but the new EV4 continues Kia’s trend of making things that look straight out of “Blade Runner” or the original “Total Recall” 1980s sci-fi flicks. The EV4 is no exception, with its combination of curvy panels and faceted creases. It works well from a profile or front three-quarter view, but less so from the rear. I’m not sure I’d call it a “cohesive” look and I certainly wouldn’t call it beautiful, but it is certainly distinctive. If anyone’s looking for a true “car of the future” look for their latest ride, the EV4 delivers in spades.
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Interesting Power Choices
Unlike all other Kias and related Hyundais on the E-GMP platform (the two companies share a lot of parts, platforms and technology), the EV4 is the first model to offer only a single electric motor (no all-wheel-drive option is available), and that motor is mounted up front. Everything else in the automaker’s lineup is rear-wheel drive, but I’m not mad about the EV4 being a FWD vehicle. For a small compact sedan destined for mostly urban duty, that configuration should be helpful in inclement weather. The EV4 is probably no slouch, either, with its motor producing over 200 horsepower — significantly more than the larger, single-motor, RWD Hyundai Ioniq 6 sedan that’s built on the same platform.
Two battery sizes will also be available: a smaller one aimed at urban commuters and a larger-capacity one pointed at people who take longer road trips. Opting for the EV4’s 400-volt system instead of Kia’s 800-volt architecture means the sedan will likely be more affordable, but it will also fast-charge slower than some of the brand’s other offerings. For the urban commuter types most likely to charge at home, this will be a nonissue, but for the road trippers who might need to rely on DC fast charging more, this could be more annoying as it would require longer charging stops. I’ve tested an Ioniq 6 and seen it charge from 15% to 80% in just 16 minutes; the EV4 will likely not be able to match that performance.
Sit Up Front, Not in Back
One element that has been increasingly common among Kia sedans is a low roofline, such as in the K4 sedan. In that low and swoopy compact gasoline sedan, my head brushes the headliner and rear headroom is scant. The same conditions exist in the EV4 despite it being taller. The culprits are the underfloor batteries that result in a higher seating position. The EV4’s roof is low, and while space is decent in the front seats (despite my head again hitting the headliner in the moonroof-equipped display vehicle), the rear seats have a knees-up seating position that combines with the low roof to make it simply feel cramped back there. Yes, it’s a compact sedan, but it’s a little tight and bunkerlike in the backseats. Stick to the comfy front seats and things will be fine.
The rest of the EV4 is fairly conventional in terms of its operation and will be familiar to people coming out of an EV6 or EV9 (or K4, for that matter). The big display screens are present, including the awful positioning of the climate-control display that’s completely blocked by the thick, square-shaped steering wheel. But there are also hard buttons for frequently used controls like temperature and audio volume, so that’s a bit of a saving grace. Materials feel Kia-typical, which is to say high-quality and nicely screwed together.
Overall, the new EV4’s success might be dependent on its pricing more than anything. Tesla has promised a smaller, less expensive model to slot in below the Model 3 for years now, but the company doesn’t seem interested in actually delivering one. The EV4 could easily fill that niche given there isn’t really anything else in the pipeline from any other manufacturer that will (until the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt purportedly arrives sometime early in 2026). If folks are looking for that mythical Model 2, it looks like Kia might be the first one to offer it.
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- 2025 Kia EV6 Up Close: Meaningful Updates
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