2026 Kia EV4 Is an Unorthodox Sedan with an Estimated 330-Mile Range
Kia’s electric sedan, sporting an unorthodox design, has been revealed for the U.S. market, with sales starting in the first quarter of next year.By Caleb MillerPublished: Apr 16, 2025
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- After showing the Kia EV4 at a global event earlier this year, Kia released U.S.-specific information for the electric sedan at the New York auto show.
- The EV4 will come in three trim levels, with a 235-mile estimated range for the Light model and a 330-mile estimate for the Wind trim.
- The cabin features a pair of 12.3-inch screens, a standard dual-zone climate system, and 64-color ambient lighting.
The electric Kia EV4 sedan first broke cover in production form earlier this year at an event in Europe, maintaining the unorthodox styling of the 2023 EV4 concept. Kia had already said it was planning to bring the electric sedan to the U.S. market, but now, at the New York auto show, Kia has revealed more details about the U.S.-ready EV4 ahead of its arrival in early 2026.
Up to 330 Miles of Range
The EV4 shares its E-GMP platform with models like the Kia EV6 but uses a 400-volt architecture instead of the EV6’s 800-volt setup. In the U.S., Kia will offer the EV4 in three trim levels: Light, Wind, and GT-Line. The EV4 Light features a 58-kWh battery, while Wind and GT-Line models pack an 81-kWh battery. Both setups feed electricity to a 201-hp motor powering the front wheels. Kia estimates a 235-mile range for the EV4 Light, with the EV4 Wind’s range estimated at 330 miles. No figure was provided for the GT-Line model.
Kia says the range figures are helped by the slippery bodywork, with a full underbody cover contributing to a drag coefficient of 0.23. The EV4 will use the NACS charging port, which is beginning to proliferate throughout Kia’s EV lineup this year. On a DC fast-charger, the Light model will charge from 10 to 80 percent in 29 minutes, according to Kia, while the 81-kWh battery in the Wind and GT-Line will require 31 minutes for the same feat.
The EV4 features a strut front suspension and a multilink rear suspension, with Kia saying the chassis balances ride comfort and “engaging driving dynamics.” Kia also upgraded its i-Pedal one-pedal regenerative-braking feature, which can now operate when the car is reversing and has a memory function that applies the last-used i-Pedal setting when the vehicle restarts. The EV4’s battery can also provide power to external electronic devices, such as a laptop.
Funky Looks and a Modern Cabin
The styling is identical to the global model, save for U.S.-specific details like the orange side-marker lights on the front wheel arches. The EV4 is an unusual take on the sedan form, with a blunt front end, a side window profile that abruptly swoops upward, and a fastback roofline that creates a torpedo-like shape. Trapezoidal black wheel arches add an SUV-like vibe.
The Light and Wind will ride on standard 17-inch wheels with a disclike “aero” design, while the GT-Line brings 19-inch wheels, with the complex angular look seen here. The GT-Line’s wheels will likely eat into range a bit, lowering the figure from the Wind’s 330-mile estimate, despite that the two models share the same battery.
The cabin features a modern yet industrial look with lots of contrasting colors and materials. The dashboard packs two 12.3-inch screens sandwiching a 5.0-inch climate display and will offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While the Light and Wind models feature a two-spoke steering wheel, the GT-Line trades that for a three-spoke affair.
Ambient lighting that can be set to 64 different colors adds some flair inside, and the EV4 will come standard with a dual-zone automatic climate-control system, including vents for the rear passengers. There is also an acoustic windshield, an available heated steering wheel, and optional heated and ventilated front seats. Kia touts a new AI assistant that uses machine learning to improve its responses and voice recognition.
The EV4 will be available with Kia’s digital key function, allowing you to use a smartphone for remote functions like locking and unlocking the doors and adjusting the climate controls so the temperature is perfect when you get in the car. The EV4 will also come standard with the Highway Driving Assist feature, which can control speed and maintain the distance to the vehicle ahead on highways. Other available driver-assistance features include forward-collision avoidance assist and remote smart parking.
The EV4 will be assembled in South Korea at the Autoland Gwangmyeong EVO Plant, and sales are due to kick off in the United States in the first quarter of 2026. Kia has yet to announce pricing, but we expect the sedan to start at around $39,000 for the base Light model, with the GT-Line likely approaching the $50,000 mark.
