This futuristic EV is surprisingly sensible - Kia EV4 Review

Watch the full review on the Horizons by RAC YouTube channel.

As a medium-sized four-door sedan with a regular boot and roomy interior, the Kia EV4 sounds rather conventional.

But one look at it will have you thinking it’s anything but. However, that hyper-futuristically sculpted exterior cloaks an entirely sensible electric drivetrain and a high-tech but functional interior.

The EV4 is Kia’s key to accessing the once-fading medium sized car market, which has had something of a resurgence with the Tesla Model 3 and, more recently, the BYD Seal. They’ll be joined by the Mazda6e in July.

With pricing starting at $56,140 drive away, the EV4 sits neatly between the BYD Seal ($51,500) and the Tesla Model 3 ($61,500).

Even in its entry-level Air variant with the smaller 58.3kWh battery, the EV4 is a poster child for the fit-for-purpose city car.

Under the more realistic WLTP regulation test, the EV4 Air’s battery range is quoted at 456km. This is entirely practical in start-stop traffic where the benefits of regenerative braking (where braking energy is recouped and fed back into the battery) are optimised.

There’s a good sized 12.3-inch infotainment screen, while the driving information is displayed on a same-sized but separate screen directly ahead of the driver.

The two digital screens set onto one huge panel dominate the EV4’s interior, along with the slightly squared-off steering wheel and the somewhat unorthodox centre console area.

Ergonomically, it all works well and is practical to use and comfortable to be in.

A minor exception is being able to see the climate controls, which are tucked behind the left of the steering wheel. But at least they are fixed, which is preferable to having to dig through menus.

The EV4 has a 5-star ANCAP safety rating, and if you’re in the market for a medium sized all-electric car, we’d strongly recommend checking it out.