--- title: "2025 Kia K4 Reminds Everyone Cheap Cars Don’t Have to Look So Dang Cheap" description: "The 2025 Kia K4 will replace the aging Forte with modern fastback style and a resemblance to a car someone might actually aspire to own." date: "2024-03-21" modified: "2024-03-21" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/2025-kia-k4-reminds-everyone-cheap-cars-dont-have-to-look-so-dang-cheap" categories: - "Kia News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # 2025 Kia K4 Reminds Everyone Cheap Cars Don’t Have to Look So Dang Cheap ![]() *\Kia\* [Kia]() and its parent company [Hyundai]() have quickly garnered a reputation for delivering some of the most daring designs across the entire automotive industry, and for good reason. Models like the [EV6](), [Ioniq 5](), [Ioniq 6](), and even the humble [Kona]() are all as bold as they are unique. Kia will look to keep the streak going with this, the K4 compact sedan, a replacement for the outgoing Forte. And whether you love it or not, it's hard to deny it makes a stronger statement than the Forte ever did. Mind, that's not a high bar to clear. The K4 will bow at the New York International Auto Show next week, but in modern car announcement style, Kia's decided to save everyone the wait and share images of the thing now. That means we still don't have word on aspects like powertrains, efficiency, or pricing, but we can at least start the design conversation today. And let me be among the first to say: We have a winner. Is the K4 the prettiest sedan I've ever seen? Hell no, but I also wouldn't say that for anything else in Kia or Hyundai's range, and that even applies to those highly praised Ioniq models. The K4 doesn't break new ground, but it catches the eye. Most importantly, it distills relatively aspirational design into an entry-level model, which is something we haven't seen in cheap cars (at least on this side of the pond) in a very long time. ![]() ![]() Of course, we don't know how much the K4 will cost, but we can figure it'll start near the Forte's $21,145 base. Consider the least expensive cars on sale in the U.S. now: the extremely dated [Mitsubishi Mirage]() and [Nissan Versa](). The tragic-looking and tragically named [Hyundai Venue](). Kia's own [Soul](), which pretends to make a statement, but let's be honest, looks like a watered-down, smoothed-over Scion xB that used to make that same statement with conviction. The [Nissan Sentra](), for crying out loud. What are we doing here? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Contrast all of those with the K4. "Baby [Stinger]()" has been thrown around a lot to describe its design, and I'd say that's a fair generalization. The fastback profile is rare in the segment. And those powerful, slab-sided haunches and decimated D-pillar are befitting of a much more expensive sedan, even if the latter could mean horrific things for rearward visibility. Kia has dubbed the theme "Twist Logic," in reference to the "organic flow of light" created in how the squares and rectangles that comprise the car's profile meet. It's like if [Polestar]() made something for people who rent. Ultimately, the mark of any attractive cheap car is how the base model fares with chunkier tires and wheel covers, and we're not seeing that incarnation of the K4 yet. But it's already off to a good start of looking like it was styled in this decade. Typically, you have to spend closer to $30,000 to get that in a new car. ![]() *Obviously, no version of the K4 will ride this low and have wheels that big but damn. I'd have no notes at all if this sketch exactly was a next-generation Stinger. Kia* Meanwhile, we have but one image of the K4's cabin, draped floor to ceiling in matte plastic—or at least a finish that looks matte, judging from the render. Here, the K4 comes off again very modern, with that extended climate vent motif and unbroken display panel stretching from the driver's side to the center stack, aped by so many cars. The difference is that the materials will likely be very hard to the touch. I'll give Kia credit, however, for the sage hue and two-pronged steering wheel with the offset emblem. ![]() *2025 Kia K4. Kia* Both, actually, get to the heart of why I like the K4, at least in these initial images. Stout powertrains and strong driving dynamics are expensive. Big wheels, leather or something that feels like it, and soft surfaces also drive up the cost of a vehicle. But you know what's free? Design. Color! There's no business excuse for any cheap car to look bad and old, other than to encourage customers to spend more on another, pricier model that doesn't. The Forte was part of the problem, but the K4 clues us into the solution. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()