3 days ago
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Kia's K4 small sedan will carry two different safety ratings, but the difference between them comes down to advanced safety systems that will avoid a crash, rather than crash protection for people inside.
Kia Australia’s new K4 sedan has received a split Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety rating, with the cheapest version awarded four stars – and all others, priced from $32,590 plus on-road costs, receiving the top five-star score.
The most affordable K4 – the S, priced from $30,590 – fell short of top marks due to missing advanced driver assistance systems such as junction-crossing detection and oncoming lane change detection for its autonomous emergency braking (AEB).
As a result, it yielded a safety assist category score of 64 per cent, 7 percentage points short of the required result to be eligible for a five-star rating, due to its reduced capacity to avoid a crash in certain situations.
The vulnerable road user protection test also differs in the K4 S compared to other variants, at 73 per cent – 4 percentage points lower than more expensive model grades.
It is due to a lane support system that “did not provide sufficient redirection to reduce the risk of head-on or side-swipe collisions with a motorcyclist travelling in the adjacent lane”, according to the ANCAP report.
The optional $2100 Safety Pack available on the K4 S adds equipment that will raise the safety assist and vulnerable road user protection scores to 77 per cent apiece, making it a five-star car.
The remaining variants – Sport, Sport+, and GT-Line – all have these safety features as standard.
However, all versions of the K4 performed identically in the tests that measure how well the car protects occupants inside in a collision, with 83 and 80 per cent awarded in the adult occupant and child occupant protection categories respectively.
ANCAP notes that “consumers must carefully consider which variant they choose” if the headline five-star safety is a top priority, despite the same protection afforded to passengers of the K4.
“It is important for consumers to note that the base grade without the Safety Pack does not provide the same level of standard safety,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Carla Hoorweg in a media statement.
“In 2025, safety should not be treated as a ‘pay-for’ option.”
However, according to ANCAP’s report, customers opting for more expensive K4 variants will only be advantaged in crash mitigation, as the Kia model provides the same protection to occupants regardless of price in the event of an accident.
“Our advice for consumers is to check before you buy. Make sure you know the ANCAP safety rating of the specific vehicle model and variant you’re considering, as there can be important differences that aren’t immediately obvious, or that may not be explained at the point of sale,” Hoorweg said.
“Our message for Kia is to provide the same standard level of safety across the model range. Consumers should not have to pay extra for safety, nor should they have to compromise on safety when buying to a budget.”
Of note, businesses often mandate a minimum five-star ANCAP safety rating for their fleets, meaning the entry-level Kia K4 would not be eligible.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
