Introduction to the 2026 Kia EV4
Having already introduced a broad range of electric SUVs - and with the EV2 set to arrive next year - Kia realises that some car buyers still want a conventional, car-like vehicle and it's addressing that with the EV4 Hatchback. It's part of a duo, the other being the saloon-shaped EV4 Fastback. They both offer head-turning design, a spacious interior and are backed up by impressive driving stats.
The Kia EV4 Hatchback is a rival to a growing number of electric cars, including the Cupra Born, Peugeot E-308, MG4, Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and Volkswagen ID.3.
The EV4 is available with the choice of a 58.3kWh battery or an 81.4kWh battery, the latter one of the largest capacities in the segment. As a result, it also comes with one of the longest driving ranges.
In time, Kia will expand the EV4 lineup to include a dual-motor powertrain with all-wheel drive. There are even plans afoot for a high-performance EV4 GT model. For now, we've tested the top-spec EV4 Hatchback in GT-Line specification.
Pros & cons of the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
Pros: Long electric range, high interior quality, great onboard tech
Cons: Divisive styling, large by segment standards
Exterior & design of the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
• Standout design
• Little visual difference between trim levels
• Longer than most rivals
Kia hasn't been shy about rolling out striking-looking cars in recent years, and the EV4 is no different. It's all part of the company's 'Opposites United' design language and it results in a distinctive and easily recognisable family resemblance across its range of electric vehicles.
Among the exterior's talking points is the low bonnet that is angled downwards at the front. A thin black line links the two headlights that are vertically stacked and pushed right out to the extremities of the front, emphasising the impression of width and a planted stance. A grille section is located in the lower section of the front bumper, behind shutters that only open as the car's cooling needs dictate; otherwise, they remain shut to improve the vehicle's aerodynamics.
On GT-Line models, the exterior elements in black get a high-gloss black treatment, while on other versions, they are unpainted black plastic. Kia fits 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, while the GT-Line versions get 19-inch wheels. There are several styles available, and all have what can best be described as 'quite interesting' looks.
Along the flanks, the door handles sit flush with the bodywork for a clean look, and the C-pillar is defined by an upright black band that stretches across the roof. The roofline doesn't slope down much at all towards the roof, which is a plus for those seated in the rear, while a roof spoiler hides the wiper for the back window.
The key exterior dimensions for the Kia EV4 Hatchback are:
Length: 4,450mm (GT-Line)
Width: 1,860mm (2,156mm including mirrors)
Height: 1,485mm
Wheelbase: 2,820mm
The back of the car follows a similar style to the front, with a vertical lighting signature stretching across the rear, not quite forming a full light bar. The EV4 Hatchback is one of the longer cars in the sector. The Renault Megane E-Tech Electric is 230mm shorter, and the Volkswagen ID.3 is 166mm shorter.
Interior, practicality, tech & safety of the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
• Nice mix of materials
• Lots of technology
• Packed with safety features
These days touchscreens are all the rage, growing as much in size as popularity, and the EV4 is no different inside. There's a single panel that houses three displays. These consist of a 12.3-inch digital instrument screen, a 5.3-inch touchscreen for the climate control and a second 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. It all looks impressive and appears to be one uniform unit. There's also the option of a 12.3-inch colour head-up display.
However, we found that the smaller centre display is easily obscured by your hand when holding the steering wheel. Thankfully, Kia thoughtfully also provides some physical toggles on the leading edge of the dashboard for adjusting temperature and fan speed. A haptic panel above the central air vents also contains shortcuts to various parts of the menu system, such as navigation and settings.
The infotainment system is comprehensive and relatively easy to navigate. Besides the expected Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring, there are also upgrade options through the Kia Connect app that unlock additional functionality, including entertainment for charging stops, such as arcade games and video streaming via YouTube and Netflix.
Other neat functions include the ability to share a digital key via the smartphone app, so if you'd rather just use your phone for unlocking and operating the car, you can. Additionally, you can easily send a digital key to a family member or friend to let them drive the car even if you're not there.
We were impressed by the look and feel of the whole interior. Kia, like many other companies these days, is using a high amount of sustainable and recycled materials throughout the cabin. You'd be hard pressed to tell as the material quality is to a high standard.
There is a good amount of storage available throughout the interior of the EV4, too, thanks partly to an open centre console section. A wireless phone charging pad is at the base, and behind this is enough storage for a small bag and a pair of cupholders.
The top storage section is handy for throwing small oddments into, though its plastic base means things will rattle around in it. Additional storage underneath the armrest is handy for keeping items out of sight.
Rear seat passengers get plenty of headroom and legroom, and the seatbacks can recline, aiding comfort. Both outer rear seats contain ISOFIX child-seat mounting points, and on the GT-Line grade, there's a heated seat function. There's a pair of USB-C charge ports on the inner sides of the front seats, which is a convenient touch.
The door bins are on the small side, but there are pockets on the front seatbacks and a fold-down armrest if the centre seat isn't being used. As is often the case in this segment, the centre seat is smaller and loses out a little on the legroom side of things, but three adults will fit in the back with a bit of a squeeze. The flat floor also helps with space for feet in the rear.
The EV4 Hatchback gets a 435-litre boot that can increase cargo capacity to 1,415 litres when the rear seats are folded down. When it comes to towing, the EV4 Long Range is rated to pull up to 1,000kg. With the smaller capacity battery, the towing limit decreases to 500kg.
Numerous driving assistance and safety features come on the EV4, including a practical 'Blind Spot View Monitor' that provides a live camera feed of the car's blind spot when the indicator is activated. It provides extra visibility in addition to the side mirrors, and it's particularly useful at higher speeds, such as when joining a motorway. This function is further supported by 'Blind Spot Collision Avoidance', providing audible alerts for anything you might have missed.
Other assistance systems include an adaptive cruise control function called 'Highway Driving Assist'. This makes use of a capacitive steering wheel that can detect when you're not holding it.
There's also a driver-facing camera that can detect drowsiness or inattentiveness. Should the worst happen, and the driver has some kind of medical emergency, the car will sound loud audible alerts and if there is no response it will slow the car down, apply the hazard lights and unlock the doors to aid outside assistance.
Performance of the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
• Official 625-kilometre driving range
• Only one motor is available initially
• Smooth driving manners
The Kia EV4 Hatchback sits on the company's 'E-GMP' platform, which is the same underpinnings as other models, including the EV6 and range-topping EV9. However, like the EV3, it doesn't utilise the advanced 800-volt electrical architecture. Instead, it uses a 400-volt setup, which means it doesn't get the ultra-fast 350kW charging capability of the EV6 and EV9.
Instead, it makes do with a peak DC charge rate of 128kW, which is enough to recharge the Long Range's 81.4kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes on a suitably powerful public charger. On an 11kW AC charger, going from 10 to 100 per cent takes 5 hours 20 minutes or 7 hours 15 minutes, for the Standard and Long Range batteries, respectively.
It isn't yet certain if Kia Ireland will offer the Standard Range model that gets a 58.3kWh battery and provides a 440-kilometre driving range in the Hatchback - or 456 kilometres in the EV4 Fastback.
Regardless of battery size, there is only one powertrain available from launch, and that's a 204hp electric motor that drives the front wheels through a single-speed automatic transmission. With 283Nm of torque, its performance credentials are modest but adequate for everyday driving. More important than the outright performance is how refined the EV4 feels on the road.
The use of frequency-reactive dampers and hydraulic bushings provides the Kia with polished ride and handling characteristics. At motorway cruising speeds, it certainly wafts along quite nicely but sharpens up when you find a few corners.
It's not an outright driver's car, of course, but it's more than pleasant to drive, especially with some of the added elements that Kia has employed, such as thicker glass in the front section to keep noise levels down in the cabin.
The steering feel is positive and provides just enough feedback as to what the front end is doing. Drivers can also choose from different driving modes; however, the changes these bring aren't that significant.
There is an energy recuperation mode that is adjustable through paddles on the back of the steering wheel. Four settings range from no recuperation and a free-wheel setup to an effective one-pedal braking feel that's great to use in city and urban environs. This setup puts energy that would otherwise be lost during braking back into the battery and improves efficiency.
Charging the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
• Gets 128kW DC charging
• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality
• Recharges from 10 to 80 per cent in 31 minutes
The Kia EV4 does have a large battery, so charging this at home with a competitive overnight rate will be the most affordable way to run it. If you do need to use a public charger, the 11kW AC onboard charger will add range at a reasonable rate, while a faster DC charger will replenish the battery to 80 per cent in about 31 minutes, though these are always the more expensive ways of charging.
Irish pricing & rivals of the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
• Priced from €39,940
• Only one version gets more affordable battery
• Earth 2, Earth 3 and GT-Line versions available
The Kia EV4 Hatchback has a starting price of €39,940 in Ireland from launch, which is for the Earth 2 specification with the 58.3kWh battery.
This model is the only version available with that size battery, all other EV4 Hatchback grades come with the 81.4kWh battery, which bumps up the price.
By comparison, the same Earth 2 grade with the larger battery costs €43,275, increasing to €46,175 for the mid-level Earth 3 and €51,250 for the range-topping GT-Line.
The EV4 Fastback comes with the same three equipment grades but is only available with the larger battery. It costs €46,175 for the Earth 2, €49,075 for the Earth 3 and the GT-Line costs €53,000.
For some perspective within the Kia range, that puts the EV4 Hatchback just above the EV3 (€36,790).
That pricing puts the EV4 Hatchback at a more expensive starting price than rivals including the Opel Astra Electric (€35,849), Renault Megane E-tech Electric (€34,495) and the Volkswagen ID.3 (€31,780). It is worth noting that the EV4 Hatchback is a larger car though, as are its battery options.
Equipment highlights on the Earth 2 grade include 17-inch alloy wheels, part- artificial-leather seats, LED headlights, heated front seats and steering wheel and - on the larger battery version - a heat pump is standard.
The Earth 3 trim grade gets 19-inch alloy wheels, electrically adjustable front seats with driver memory function, a wireless phone charging pad and electrically operated tailgate.
For the GT-Line there are differently styled 19-inch alloy wheels, full artificial leather upholstery, a head-up display, electrically adjustable sunroof and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability.
Verdict - should you buy the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
The Kia EV4 Hatchback steals a march on many rivals, not only for its impressive driving range but also for the quality, technology and overall polished nature to how it drives. The cost of entry is higher than many of those rivals, but you are getting more, and we still see it as good value overall. Its looks might not be to all tastes, but this is very much a case of why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
FAQs about the 2026 Kia EV4 Hatchback
Which battery should I go for in the Kia EV4
Many people prefer the safety net of having the longest possible driving range. If that's you, then the 81.4kWh battery's 625-kilometre range ought to be more than sufficient. However, the smaller battery still has a 58.3kWh capacity, which Kia says allows for 440 kilometres.
Given the fast-charging capability of the EV4, even undertaking longer journeys with that standard battery shouldn't be much of an inconvenience. As ever, we suggest you look carefully at your typical daily and weekly driving needs and choose the battery that best suits that.
How much can I tow with a Kia EV4?
The Kia EV4 Hatchback with the larger 81.4kWh battery is rated to tow up to 1,000kg. However, if you go for the smaller capacity battery, the towing ability is halved to 500kg.
What colours are the Kia EV4 available in?
The range of colours available for the Kia EV4 Hatchback is broad and includes Cassa White, Wolf Grey, Black Pearl, Magma Red, Ivory Silver Matte, Deluxe White, Penta Metal and Blue Flame.
Want to know more about the 2026 Kia EV4?
If there's anything about the Kia EV4 we've not covered, or you'd like help in choosing between it and other cars, you can avail of our expert advice service via the Ask Us Anything page.
