With only a few minor alterations compared to its 2025 debut, the Kia K4 soldiers into its second model year with a starting price that’s still very reasonable. Very careful feature shuffling has allowed the base LX to retain an impressive $22,190 price plus $1,195 destination, a figure that’s $200 higher than before. If you’re worried about price creep with each passing year, take solace in the well-equipped K4, which is less than 1 percent more expensive than it was in 2025.
You do get a little inflation fatigue as you move higher in the K4’s trim structure, but not much. At $24,485 sharply styled LXS is $300 pricier than it was in 2026; ditto the well-equipped, $25,485 Kia K4 EX, which we feel more than justifies its price increase by adding standard SynTex faux leather seats that are heated up front, with an added center armrest for passengers in the rear. The $26,485 Kia K4 GT-Line brings back the $200 delta and adds SynTex upholstery. We think this trim is the pick of the litter for budget shoppers since it includes lots of convenience features and swaps out the lower three trims’ twist-beam rear axle for a sophisticated multilink setup.
At the top of the heap is the more powerful GT-Line Turbo, which demands, you guessed it, $200 more for the pleasure of being a 2026 model. At $29,385, it still seems to be a good deal given the 190-horsepower turbo 1.6-liter under the hood, which is a handy upgrade from the 147 horses found in the other trims. Load a GT-Line down with premium paint and its one single option – a technology package that includes ambient lighting, a surround-view camera, and even more advanced driver-assist and active safety features – and you’re left with a $32,180 compact sedan.
If you’d prefer your Kia K4 with more rear-seat headroom and cargo space, not to worry: The company will happily sell you the 2026 K4 hatchback, which has segment-leading space for passengers in back, plus 22.2 cubic feet of cargo room to the sedan’s 14.6.
The Kia K4 is pretty lonely at the bottom of its price structure. Its closest competitors, price-wise are the $23,920 Toyota Corolla LE, the $23,845 Nissan Sentra S, and the $23,870 Hyundai Elantra SE. The K4 one-ups the Toyota and Hyundai in terms of standard technology, matching the Sentra’s large 12.3-inch touchscreen and standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. At the top of the spectrum, the Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo puts up a fight against the much less powerful Sentra SR and Toyota Corolla XSE, as well as the $30,645 Hyundai Elantra N-Line and the hybrid $30,490 Honda Civic Sport, both of which clear at least 200 hp.
Deciding which compact car is right for you could be a challenge considering those worthy rivals. At the bottom of the trim heap, we think the Kia K4 is a terrific bargain, offering plenty of space for four passengers inside a commendably well-equipped interior. And the non-turbocharged GT-Line strikes a good balance of comfort and style at a decent price. The GT-Line Turbo’s price puts it in contention with the phenomenal Civic hybrid, however, whose 49 combined miles per gallon and 232 pound-feet of torque make it the 800-pound gorilla in the segment.
Kia is giving K5 buyers the option of a bright red interior this year, but is keeping the price mostly in check.
Source: Kia
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