VALENCIA, SPAIN—Affordability is on everybody’s minds, including those at Kia.

The Korean brand has had a string of successes with its EV6 and EV9 models. Those all-electric vehicles are impressive, but they also carry stickers that are either right around or well above the average new-vehicle transaction price in Canada and the US. The real challenge is building something under that figure that can still provide a compelling overall package.

Say hello to the 2026 Kia EV4, built to address that exact issue. The EV4 will take the battle to the soon-to-return Chevrolet Bolt and recently-reborn Nissan Leaf as one of the most affordable electric vehicles on the market. Kia invited us to Spain to learn just how much appeal it can pack into a smaller EV package.

2026 Kia EV4 Quick Take

Kia’s latest electric model is a huge step forward for affordable electric cars, with excellent road manners and oodles of tech. It will arrive as the most affordable choice in Canada—just barely—but America sadly misses out (for now).

What’s New for 2026:

This whole model. As the number implies, its footprint is broadly similar to the gas-only K4, and while the EV6 straddles the line between car and crossover, the EV4 stays firmly in the former category.

This model also introduces a new version of Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform. This 400-volt setup (instead of the 800V we’ve seen in EV6 and EV9) is largely derived from the K3 platform that underpins the Niro and yes, the K4. Confused yet? Don’t be: the important figures are 58.3 and 81.4 (battery capacity, in kilowatt-hours), 391 to 552 (kilometers of range, depending on trim), and $38,995 CAD (the pre-destination price of entry). In American terms, that’s 243 to 343 miles of range.

Kia America has taken the decision to postpone the EV4 (and EV9 GT) in the country due to “market conditions.” That’s a shame, because in a pre-tariff world, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect a starting price under $30,000 in the US.

Kia’s latest design language is certainly distinctive, and the EV4 is its most daring car-based look yet. A low nose with narrow headlights set right at the corners emphasize the width (73.2 inches / 1,860 millimeters). This GT-Line tester features gloss black trim that wraps right around the whole vehicle and incorporates the polygonal wheel arches, trimming out the visual weight of the added height necessary to fit the floor-mounted battery pack. 

It’s around back where things get very weird. Kia likes to pretend its sedans are liftbacks, and the EV4 continues that trend with a sloped glass area punctuating right at the lip, though the last quarter of it is just black trim. Sneaky. When viewed in profile, the disjointed look of the little winglets atop the rear glass makes it seem as if some of the EV4 still needs to load. The ultra-thin taillights highlight the wide trunk opening—more on that in a bit—though the proportions are unusual.

The Light and Wind trims get funky, two-spoke, 17-inch alloys, while the Wind Premium adopts four-spoke 19s. The GT-Line and GT-Line Limited get the three-spoke 19s seen here. New colors include a rich Magma Red, bright Yacht Blue, and greeny-gray Morning Haze.

2026 Kia EV4: All the Details

At launch, every EV4 in Canada will be front-wheel drive, with a single electric motor producing a useful 201 horsepower and 209 pound-feet of torque. This is a healthy amount of power for a vehicle this size, easily getting the Kia up to speed on Spanish highways. The EV4 maintains enough reserves to handily complete overtakes here, too. Power delivery is typical EV: near-instant but with enough programmed-in build-up to avoid low-speed jerkiness.

Kia has updated its i-Pedal tech, still allowing for multiple driver-selected levels of regenerative braking up to and including full one-pedal, accessed via steering wheel-mounted paddles. New additions include an adaptive setting that scavenges energy during optimal deceleration moments and—finally—a memory setting. No more having to reactivate one-pedal on every drive! i-Pedal now works while in reverse, as well.

The full one-pedal setup remains one of my favorites on the market, with smooth and consistent deceleration that makes it easy to judge even through the unfamiliar city streets. Efficiency was bang-on too: my drive partner and I scored 16.9 kWh/100 km (3.67 miles/kWh) on a route that was way too much highway, which is where EVs are at their least efficient. Run the math and that gives an operating range of 482 km; the GT-Line Limited is officially rated at 488 km. Rangemaxxers will want the Wind FWD trim and its 552 km rating.

Charging up either battery pack on a DC fast charger should take about 30 minutes for the typical 10-to-80 percent run. Like every other '26 Kia EV not called Niro, the EV4 will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port in our market.

Mid-way through 2026, Kia will introduce an AWD EV4, giving it an advantage over the comparably-priced Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf, and aligning it closer with the Tesla Model 3.

Like so many electric cars, the EV4 is a bit of a chunker: the Light FWD tips the scales at 3,836 lb (1,740 kg) and this GT-Line Limited balloons up to 4,202 lb (1,906 kg). Also like its electron-munching relatives, the EV4 keeps all that weight down low, lower than any dino juice-swilling engine can manage. 

Don’t let the GT-Line badging fool you: the EV4 still exhibits a surprising amount of lean in corners, and its eco-minded, 215-width rubber limit has low limits. Nonetheless, the fact that the EV4 doesn’t have to deal with a rear motor (for now) means fewer variables in how it feels into, through, and out of a corner. It’s pointy and predictable, with light and accurate steering keeping the whole show positive. If folks want more spice, Kia has already teased an EV4 GT.

When we drove the K4 GT-Line as part of our compact car mega comparison earlier this year, Kia’s entry got dinged for a lackluster, often crashy ride. So it is a relief to say that the EV4 is massively better, and its ride quality may be one of the leading reasons people would pick it at the showroom. Even on 19s, the EV4 dispatches bumps with a calm and collected demeanor. There’s not much of an audible hint of this happening, either. Naturally we’ll need to evaluate the EV4 on home turf to know just how adept it is at handling the dilapidated roads of North America, but on first impression it is a game-changer.

I can’t overstate how lux an EV feels in this class, either. So many compact cars have a grumbly four-cylinder up front, so humming along in the EV4 is positively swanky. The ultra-low drag coefficient (0.23) keeps wind noise to a minimum as well.

Front seat comfort is solid, though like so many modern Kias headroom is tight. Kia quotes 38.7 in (984 mm) without the sunroof and 36.8 (934 mm) with it. Our Euro-market tester was a tin-top and my hair was just shy of the headliner. In every other measure the EV4 is more accommodating than the Tesla Model 3.

Er, except the trunk. The EV4’s (power-operated!) trunk is ultra-wide sure, but the lid isn’t very deep so the actual opening is an odd shape. Making things worse is a sizeable lip, so forget sliding things in and out. Nonetheless, there’s 14.4 cubic feet (408 liters) of space, and the rear seats can fold flat to extend that. There is no frunk.

Despite being built to a price, the EV4’s cabin is a swell place to spend time. The dashboard design has a lot of K4 DNA, but with the vents moved between the two volumes. Kia’s slightly-squished steering wheel might look odd but it feels good. An open-air center console design provides a usefully grabby wireless charger to ensure phones don’t lose contact, and plenty of storage space.

Kia has employed a good amount of soft-touch textiles here, and the surfaces that aren’t wrapped have a texture to them.It’s still not as nice as something like a Mazda3 or Honda Civic, but it’s not far off, either.

Kia’s current infotainment is a sweet setup. The large central touchscreen is easy to use with large menu items and response times are snappy. We were able to pair phones without issue, and swapping between Apple CarPlay and the native setup is a simple poke of a physical button. I’m still not sold on the small climate control screen, but with dual zone climate control standard on every trim, at least there are still physical controls.

The EV4 has a laundry list of standard safety assists, including forward collision avoidance (FCA, with pedestrian and cyclist detection), blind spot monitoring and collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, and full-range adaptive cruise control. Higher trims unlock an upgraded FCA, blind view monitor, 360 camera, smart park, and more.

The headline figure of $38,9995 CAD comes with two asterisks. The first is that smaller 58.3-kWh battery pack; both the Bolt and Leaf use larger packs as standard. The second is that it is pre-destination charges, so call that a $41,000 CAD car. 

The upgrade to the larger pack is a chunky $4,000 CAD, though that Wind trim does add a huge 161 additional kilometers of range, a heat pump, and Kia throws in a power-adjustable driver’s seat. Another $2,500 nets the Wind Premium, adding 19-inch wheels, faux leather seating, a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger, rain-sensing wipers, and more. I expect it to be the volume leader. The GT-Line and GT-Line Limited layer on the sportier looks, added creature comforts, a broader safety suite, and niceties like vehicle-to-load (V2L) and the Harman Kardon sound system.

That tempting price tag puts the EV4 right on top of the K4, moving closer to price parity between gas and electric models.

Final Thoughts: 2026 Kia EV4 First Drive Review

The 2026 Kia EV4 moves the electric game forward. It’s easy to build an impressive EV at higher prices, but the real challenge is making something that doesn’t feel like a stripped-out special at a price buyers can afford. The EV4 does it, offering a spacious, well executed package that frankly drives much better than its competitors. The funky shape may ultimately limit its appeal—more so the usability of the trunk than the actual design—but on first impression, Kia should have another hit on its hands.

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