I Thought That Nothing May Rival the Honda Civic Sedan at Its Worth Level, However Then I Examined the New 2025 Kia K4 GT-Line, and Have Found a Nice New Possibility For Consumers To Think about

I’m not going to sugarcoat this. Having examined the 2025 Honda Civic, I really feel that it’s virtually unbeatable. Notably the hatchback variations. So, when Kia despatched us a brand new K4 to check, that clouded our judgment a bit. How may Kia presumably match or prime that new Civic? Properly, they’ve, and relying in your priorities, the K4 might even be a greater choice. On this unconventional evaluation, we’ll concentrate on the issues that differentiate these two nice autos. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic – Exterior Fashion and Inside Styling
The good information for consumers within the sub-$30K automotive market is that nice seems to be are free. Each the Civic and K4 are good-looking automobiles exterior. We significantly just like the coupe-style rear doorways on the K4. Kia’s now signature C-pillar can be a styling aspect we really feel units the K4 aside. 

Our sub-$30K K4 GT-Line tester had a two-tone inside that knocked our socks off. The steering wheel’s flat prime and backside was additionally novel, and we cherished it. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic – Powertrains
We examined the K4 GT-Line. Its 2.0-liter engine and variable computerized transmission had been satisfactory for the position, and that’s what you now get with the Civic. In our driving on blended suburban and concrete roadways, together with some fairly heavy site visitors, we noticed 42 MPG within the K4. With that form of mileage, we’d probably skip getting a hybrid. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic – Physique Kinds
For 2025, Kia gives the K4 with a trunk, and it has 4 doorways in a sedan format (with coupe styling). Honda gives a sedan or a hatchback. Nonetheless, in 2026, Kia will introduce its K4 hatchback. Personally, I favor the comfort and added cargo quantity {that a} hatchback gives. That is only one particular person’s opinion. The good information is that each manufacturers shall be providing each choices, so consumers can decide and select. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic Pricing
We’ve reviewed costs and see that each of those fashions provide an incredible worth. You get a LOT for not a lot cash. Our K4 GT-Line tester had a shopper value of $28,345, together with Kia’s inland freight and dealing with charge, however much less no matter Doc charges your Kia seller expenses. Honda’s Sport with related content material has a value of $27,831. 

Kia K4 – Notable Options
We love that Kia gives a spare tire within the K4. Honda gives a spare on solely sure trims. We additionally cherished how simply we may connect with the wi-fi Android Auto within the K4 – even with out utilizing an influence cable to provoke the pairing. Right here, Kia is the match of Honda, which additionally gives an impressive infotainment bundle. 

Here is a list of all of the top-selling automobiles with spare tires. 

Kia K4 – The Drive
We discovered the K4 to have an important persona. We’d name it “chill” or “mellow.” The K4 GT-Line with its 147 hp engine was simply satisfactory, and by no means felt sporty. If you would like extra energy, there’s a GT-Line Turbo with 191 hp out there, but it surely comes at a meaningfully greater price ticket. We’d most likely skip the turbo on this automotive, and reside with the bottom energy score. The dealing with is sweet. It’s all the time pleasing to strive a low-slung sedan after being in crossovers more often than not.

If efficiency is a precedence for you on this car phase, see in the event you can stretch the price range to the Mazda3 Turbo. It begins at $34K. 

Kia K4 GT-Line Conclusion
In case you are looking for a sub-$30K car, it’s arduous to miss the Kia K4 GT-Line. It gives an important look, trendy inside, loads of area for 4 and even 5 passengers, and plenty of options we predict make it an important worth. One factor we actually like concerning the Kia line is its 100,000-mile guarantee for preliminary house owners. That is one space the place Kia objectively beats Honda. If we had been looking for a sedan underneath $30K, we’d try the Kia K4 earlier than deciding on any of the opposite decisions within the market. 

Do you assume Kia has a viable choice to the Honda Civic in its K4 GT-Line? Is that this a car you’d cross-shop? Inform us within the feedback under.

All photographs by John Goreham. 

John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Affiliation member and skilled car tester. John accomplished an engineering program with a concentrate on electrical autos, adopted by twenty years of labor in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive provide chain earlier than changing into a information contributor. He’s a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). Along with his eleven years of labor at Torque Information, John has revealed 1000’s of articles and evaluations at American information retailers. He’s recognized for providing unfiltered opinions on car subjects. You may join with John on Linkedin and observe his work on his private X channel or on our X channel. Please be aware that tales carrying John’s by-line are by no means AI-generated, however he does make use of grammar and punctuation software program when proofreading and he additionally makes use of picture technology instruments.