KIA debuted its 2026 EV4 sedan at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday. It is the first global electric sedan and is designed for customers looking for affordable EVs.
Whether US customers will be drawn to the sedan is an open question, and one KIA is not necessarily a bet. The company will begin selling the EV4 in Korea and plans to bring it to Europe by the end of the year. Sales in the US are expected to start in the last quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026, a Kia spokesperson told TechCrunch.
With the EV4, the Kia’s main pitch is affordable and has a respectable range, interior features and technical touch, which could ultimately give consumers another option. Kia doesn’t share US pricing yet, but some will start at around $35,000 and add another competitor to the Tesla Model 3. Eric Watson, vice president of sales at KIA America, confirmed the ballpark price range with TechCrunch.
“What many EVs have in common is their prices heading towards the high end. But our ultimate goal is to drive electric and achievable for everyone,” Kia’s chief designer Tom Kearns said Wednesday.
So the EV4 is “unique in high-tech forward design” and is affordable even with “many advanced features”, many of which are found in Kia’s high-end EV6 crossover utility vehicles and EV9 SUVs.
But for our buyers, its attractive price range can be at risk. President Donald Trump’s proposed auto rates threaten to add 25% to the cost of imported vehicles, including EV4s, which KIA plans to build in South Korea in the first quarter of 2026 and launch the nation.
Watson said KIA is open to exploring the idea of bringing EV4 production to the US. The automaker already has a facility in West Point, Georgia, and has built EV6 crossover utility vehicles and EV9 SUVs for the US market, with SK becoming a battery manufacturing partner.
Despite Kia has American-manufactured and domestically produced batteries, Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning at Kia America, said, “There are still a lot of components that are subject to tariffs. It’s not good for the business. I hope there will be some developments in the summer.”
The Kia EV4 has some things that allow buyers to take risks to customs duties, especially to their decent range. The standard 58.3 kWh battery with a “light” trim has a 235-mile range, while the long-range 81.4 kWh battery with a “wind” or “GT line” trim can cost up to 330 miles.
Kia said it is focused on the aerodynamics of the EV4 and is likely to help increase the number of these ranges. The vehicle’s coefficient has a coefficient of .23. This is the same as the Tesla Model 3.
Both battery configurations provide power to a front-mounted 150 kW motor. Additionally, the V2L4 feature allows drivers to use the car’s battery to charge devices such as laptops and smaller electronic devices.
The EV4 is charged with a DC fast charger in a splendid 30 minutes, and its NACS charging port is located on the passenger side for easy access.
Kia also regenerates the I-Pedal 3.0 system with the EV4, captures energy and stores it in the battery, but only the accelerator pedal allows the driver to control the speed of deceleration.
Now, on the looks.
Kearns said Kia wants the opportunity to do things differently in the 2026 EV4 and wants to break the standard for many EV manufacturers who prioritize efficiency at the expense of cool design statements.
And if you look at it up close, Kia’s EV4 has an interesting aesthetic, something like the previous business. First you can see the low nose, long tail silhouette and first-back roofline of the classic sports car. The rear, vertical taillights, two-piece roof spoilers and sophisticated bumper design give you a more aerodynamic and technical presence.
Speaking of technology, this car boasts your standard futuristic, minimalist, high-tech interior. Outstanding items include a free-floating user interface consisting of a two-spoke steering wheel, 64 colors of dynamic ambient lighting, a dual 12.3-inch screen and a 5-inch climate display. Here you can find all the navigation and entertainment features, including wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
Like other EVs from Kia, the EV4 also offers the opportunity to enhance connectivity and entertainment features through over-the-air updates, including adding personalized display themes throughout the cockpit, like “favorite NBA teams” of all environment-loving super fans.
As for other technical features, the driver can access the EV4 via the KIA’s digital key via the mobile phone, and the KIA’s AI assistant uses voice recognition and natural language processing to help the driver control vehicle functions, planned trips and more.
The EV4 comes standard with a suite of driver assistance features, including Kia’s Highway Driving Assist. This automatically adjusts the vehicle’s set speed to match the posted speed limits, maintaining distance from the vehicle ahead. Kia’s ADA also includes assistance with forward collision avoidance, lane follow-up, remote smart parking, driver warnings and practical steering wheel detection.
This article has been updated with detailed information from a KIA representative on design and customs duties.