3 days ago
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Kia's newest electric cars are, for the first time in years, not SUVs – with the EV4 hatch and sedan duo on the wish list for Australian showrooms.
Kia is preparing to challenge the Tesla Model 3 with a new electric hatch and sedan combination, the 2025 Kia EV4, due to be detailed with technical specifications later this month.
The EV4 is believed to be similar in size to the petrol Cerato hatch and sedan – just replaced by the K4 – slotting between the EV3 small and EV5 mid-size SUVs.
Australian showroom arrivals are yet to be confirmed, with a Kia spokesperson telling Drive "we are keen and have our hand up".
All other EV-badged Kia electric cars revealed to date are sold – or will soon be sold – locally, so the EV4 is expected to be no different.
Previewed by a concept car 18 months ago, the EV4 wears styling elements from other Kia models, including an aerodynamics-friendly sloping front end with 'Star Map' vertical LED headlights.
Sedan versions feature an upswept tail and vertical tail-lights, while the hatchback has a more conventional rear end with L-shaped lights and distinctive black trim running over the roof.
GT-Line variants add sportier front and rear bumpers, and a unique design for the 19-inch alloy wheels.
Images of the interior are yet to be published. It's expected to mirror the EV3, with dual 12.3-inch screens, a 5.0-inch climate-control display, and recycled or eco-friendly materials throughout the cabin.
Technical details of the EV4 are yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to share the EV3's version of Kia's E-GMP electric-vehicle underpinnings.
Unlike the larger EV6 and EV9, the EV3's electricals run at 400 volts rather than 800 volts to save cost, and it is available with front- or all-wheel drive, rather than rear- or all-wheel drive.
In its standard guise, the EV4 is likely to use the EV3's single 150kW/283Nm front electric motor and choice of 58.3kWh and 81.4kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery packs.
Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive versions of the EV3 have been confirmed, which Drive understands will include a 250kW/470Nm GT performance grade capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in six seconds.
Claimed driving range in the EV3 is rated at up to 605km in European WLTP testing, something the sleeker EV4 is likely to be able to beat.
Further details of the 2025 Kia EV4 are expected next Thursday, February 27, European time when the electric car makes its formal debut at an event in Spain.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
