2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo First Test: New Small Sedan Looks Exciting—But Is It?
There’s more to this new Kia model than meets the eye. And hopefully even more to come.
Pros
- Statement-making design, inside and outside
- Spacious back seat and trunk
- Impressive value
Cons
- Laggy engine responses
- Cabin gets noisy
- Honda Civic is still nicer to drive
Kia outdid itself in transforming the Forte into the new 2025 K4—and this may be the biggest glow-up for a compact car, ever. Compared to its unassuming predecessor, the new K4’s aesthetic is edgy, chic, and bold. Design is a strong selling point for the K4; it’s a true style standout among small sedans. We can’t directly measure vehicles’ eye-catching abilities, but we do run them through a slew of standardized tests. Our goal in testing the new K4? Determine if it drives as exciting as it looks.
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Plenty of Show—How About Go?
For this first test, we focused on the ultimate 2025 Kia K4 (for now). Its GT-Line specification dresses the car in a sport-inspired body kit. It’s not all for looks, though: GT-Line also fits the K4 with a multilink rear suspension tuned for tighter chassis responses relative to the standard torsion-beam setup.
The GT-Line trim is available with the basic 147-hp, 132-lb-ft 2.0-liter I-4 engine, but our test K4 packed the optional 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4, which makes 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Every Kia K4 is front-wheel drive, but while the 2.0-liter powers the wheels through a CVT automatic transmission, the turbocharged I-4 works with a conventional eight-speed automatic.
With all that, the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo accelerated from a stop to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, a respectable time among compact sedans. The only vehicles quicker in the segment have considerably more power, whether by turbocharging or hybridization. Notably, that time is behind the outgoing Kia Forte GT, which used its 11 additional horsepower from the same engine and quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic to complete the 0–60 run in 6.4 seconds.
It’s a similar situation for the K4 GT-Line Turbo’s 15.5-second, 91.8-mph result in the quarter mile: That puts it ahead of most comparable cars but behind a few, including its predecessor and the electrified Honda Civic Hybrid. Still, the K4 GT-Line Turbo is quicker than every Toyota Corolla (except the GR), including the hybrid.
The 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo needed 120 feet to stop from 60 mph, again a result that's perfectly fine for a car of this type. It needed an extra foot compared to the slightly lighter Forte GT’s stopping distance, and only 2 additional feet versus the 2025 Civic’s best result.
Until we test a regular Kia K4, we can’t know how the GT-Line’s upgraded rear suspension might comparatively improve the car’s handling. What we know now, though, is that the K4 GT-Line Turbo proves sticky for its segment. It circles the skidpad at 0.87 g average, an exact tie with the Forte GT. Likewise, the K4 GT-Line Turbo’s figure-eight lap time of 26.6 seconds matches the Forte GT, as well as the all-wheel-drive-equipped Mazda 3 Turbo and decidedly sporty Volkswagen Jetta GLI—but its 0.68-g average in the figure-eight test is higher than any of those.
Out and About in the K4 GT-Line Turbo
These satisfactory numbers from the track indicate the effort Kia’s engineers put into the K4, a competence that’s tangible on the road. But numbers can’t describe all the ways the K4 feels from inside.
One thing that’s immediately noticeable inside is how roomy it is. In particular, the back seat area feels more spacious than most compact sedans, offering abundant legroom and headroom. Space in the front seats is fairly average for the segment. Even so, this overall packaging supports the notion that it might not be necessary to choose a larger and likely more expensive midsize sedan. Trunk space is ample, if still less than in small crossovers/SUVs—don’t forget the commodious K4 Hatchback is coming soon.
Spaciousness doesn’t necessarily correlate to comfort, however, due to the ride quality. Here the GT-Line's rear suspension perhaps loses some appeal. Impacts are transmitted firmly into the cabin over imperfect pavement, though the tight tuning simultaneously holds the body in good composure. The setup gives the K4 a spry, peppy handling feel, aided by the chunky steering wheel and weighty rack it’s joined to. Interior noise remains a concern throughout, as gritty pavement resonates through the cabin and outside sounds are prevalent.
The K4’s little turbo-four engine produces sufficient acceleration once it builds boost, but it takes time to do so. There’s a distinct surge in power at about 3,000 rpm, below which the engine struggles somewhat to add speed. At least the four-cylinder doesn’t greatly compound loudness in the cabin. Furthermore, the eight-speed automatic is programmed well, knowing when to shift and when to hold revs depending on the driving situation.
Style, Meet Substance
It doesn’t take much time in the Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo to sense a disconnect between how it drives and how it looks. This isn’t to suggest it drives poorly or is a dynamic disappointment—no way. As our test results indicate and road evaluations affirmed, it’s a competitive performer and pleasant driver, even if it displays some refinement issues endemic to compact sedans. Yet for drivers (like us) who hold enjoyment behind the wheel as a top priority, we’d suggest the Honda Civic instead, for the tight, cohesive, and fun experience it delivers. Our preference is for the new-for-2025 Civic Hybrid, which returns better fuel economy and acceleration than the turbocharged K4.
But a Civic looks practically invisible parked next to a 2025 Kia K4. The understated Honda has little of the visual magnetism Kia’s designers worked into the K4’s creased sheetmetal, sharp lighting accents, and alluring proportions. More intriguing K4 details are seen on closer inspection, such as in the hidden rear door handles, straked roof panel, and elegant side-mirror supports. These facets exist whether or not you choose the GT-Line specification. Some of us at MotorTrend aren’t entirely convinced the K4 looks outright good, but no one disputes that its style gives it distinction among compact cars.
Kia’s design focus is showcased inside, as well. Beyond the spacious packaging, each and every detail seems deliberately considered, from the not-exactly-round steering wheel to how the shape of the shift knob feels to the colors and textures applied to various surfaces. Factor in the enormous triple-display infotainment setup running Kia’s latest software, and the K4’s cabin looks and feels as modern as cars like this come.
Perhaps best of all, this haute couture doesn’t command an exclusionary price—our highly equipped test car rang up for less than $30,000.
The Korean automaker’s approach here wasn’t just to make a next-generation Forte, but to reinvent its offering in the compact car segment. That’s borne out primarily by design, but how the K4 drives lays a solid foundation for the start of this franchise—the GT-Line Turbo presages goodness from the forthcoming hatchback, as well as the hybrid and full-fledged GT models potentially to come.
Alex's earliest memory is of a teal 1993 Ford Aspire, the car that sparked his automotive obsession. He's never driven that tiny hatchback—at six feet, 10 inches tall, he likely wouldn't fit—but has assessed hundreds of other vehicles, sharing his insights on MotorTrend as a writer and video host.
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