The new 20205 Kia K4 is one of the last sedans in an increasingly crossover world. While the exterior and interior are new, much of the rest is carryover. Prices start at $23,145 and go up to $31,445.

The 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 190 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That's a healthy bump from the standard non-turbo powertrain that puts out 147 hp, and the difference is quite noticeable. Power goes to the front wheels via an updated eight-speed automatic transmission.

Kia's replacement for the Forte is bigger, more stylish, and better-equipped, but does what's under the hood leave it falling short of compact sedan rivals?

Kia K4 is more spacious, more stylish and more high-tech than the Forte it replaces, and the GT-Line trim is an especially compelling package.

The K4 would threaten Civic and Corolla’s statuses as top compacts, if Kia offered its hybrid gasoline-electric drivetrain in the U.S.

I was in the passenger seat of the 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line when a maroon Toyota RAV4 appeared at the top of the hill, which also happened to be a blind curve. It didn't look right; The SUV was filling up too much of the K4's windshield too quickly.

Another day, another new front-drive, four-banger economy car. This time around, it’s the 2025 Kia K4, the successor to the compact Forte, Kia’s second-best seller and a sedan that actually displayed market growth rather than stagnation.