It’s time to say goodbye to the Kia EV4, and in a world that seems completely filled with electric SUVs these days, it’s been genuinely refreshing to spend some time back in a proper electric hatchback.
Hatchbacks have always been the backbone of family motoring in the UK and across Europe, and it’s great to see that manufacturers haven’t forgotten that not everyone wants or needs a big SUV. In many ways, this car feels like what an electric version of the iconic Volkswagen Golf should have been from the beginning.
Kia has been on an incredible run in the EV world over the last few years. Cars like the Kia EV6 and Kia EV9 have already shown that the brand can compete with — and in some areas outperform — more established rivals. The EV4 feels like another step in that direction, bringing the same strong EV credentials into a much more affordable and practical package.
After spending a week with the car and covering well over 400 miles, it’s clear that Kia might have created one of the most compelling electric hatchbacks currently on sale.
Price and Battery Options
The version I had on test was the 81.4kWh Air edition, which starts at just under £36,000. For that money, it offers a huge amount of range and practicality, which immediately makes it stand out in the current EV market.
Officially, the car is rated at 391 miles of WLTP range in the smaller wheel Air specification. However, during my time with the car it consistently exceeded 400 miles per charge, which is extremely impressive for something in this price bracket.
For those looking to save a bit more money, there is also a smaller battery version available which starts at under £33,000. That makes the EV4 one of the more affordable long-range EVs currently available.
Considering the rising cost of cars in general, having an electric hatchback that can realistically cover 400 miles on a charge at this price point is quite a big deal.
Size and Practicality
What you’re getting here is a proper family hatchback.
It’s a really nice size — big enough to comfortably carry a family and their luggage, but still compact enough to feel manageable in towns and tight car parks. It sits in that sweet spot where it feels practical without being unnecessarily large.
The interior space is very good for a car in this segment. There’s plenty of room in the rear seats for adults, and it would easily cope with family duties such as school runs, shopping trips, or longer road trips.
Because the EV4 has a lower hatchback design and is front-wheel drive, you do lose the front trunk (frunk) that some EVs offer. While that might be slightly disappointing for some people, the rear boot more than makes up for it. There’s plenty of space back there for luggage, shopping, or the usual family holiday gear.
For most buyers, the practicality here will be more than enough.
Equipment and Interior
In Air specification, the EV4 comes with a good level of equipment.
It may not be overflowing with flashy gimmicks, but it does cover all the important features most drivers want in a modern car.
You get things like:
- Heated seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Connected navigation
- A large infotainment display
- A wide range of driver assistance and safety systems
When you really think about it, everything you actually need day-to-day is included.
It’s a sensible approach. Instead of focusing on unnecessary gimmicks, Kia has prioritised the features that genuinely make driving more comfortable and convenient.
That said, there are a couple of small areas where the cost-saving is noticeable. Some of the interior plastics do look and feel a little cheaper than you might expect in places. It’s not terrible by any means, but if you start really looking closely you can tell this is where Kia has kept the price competitive.
Still, for most drivers this will be a very easy thing to overlook.
Efficiency and Real-World Range
This is really where the EV4 shines.
Kia has developed something of a reputation for excellent efficiency in their EVs, and the EV4 continues that trend.
The 17-inch wheels fitted to the Air spec definitely help here. Smaller wheels generally mean better efficiency, and in this case it really shows.
Even during my week with the car — with temperatures sitting around 10°C, which is far from ideal for EV efficiency — the car was still averaging well over 5 miles per kWh.
That’s extremely good.
Based on those figures, it’s easy to see how the car was comfortably exceeding its official WLTP range during my testing.
In warmer summer temperatures, with smooth and sensible driving, I genuinely think 450 miles on a charge could be achievable for many drivers.
For a car at this price point, that’s pretty remarkable.
The Few Downsides
As much as I enjoyed my time with the EV4, no car is completely perfect.
One of the biggest things I noticed was the speaker system in the Air spec, which is a bit on the weak side. It’s not terrible, but it definitely lacks the punch and clarity you might want if you enjoy listening to music while driving.
That said, this might have been made more noticeable because I had just stepped out of a Genesis GV60 which had the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system that costs well over £2,000. Compared to that, most stereos would probably sound a bit underwhelming.
Aside from that, the previously mentioned interior plastics are probably the only other minor complaint.
But honestly, these are fairly small issues when you look at the bigger picture.
Final Thoughts
After spending a week with the EV4, it’s very clear that Kia has produced something quite special here.
This is a proper electric family hatchback that focuses on the things that really matter — range, efficiency, practicality and value for money.
In many ways, it feels like the car that has finally out-Golfed the Golf. It takes everything people love about traditional hatchbacks and combines it with some of the best EV efficiency currently available.
For around £36,000, getting a car that can realistically deliver 400 miles of range is seriously impressive.
The EV market is becoming more competitive every year, but with the EV4, Kia has once again set a benchmark that many other manufacturers are going to struggle to match.
If you’re looking for an electric car that is practical, efficient and genuinely affordable, the EV4 deserves to be very high on your shortlist.