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2025 Kia K4

small car / 4-door sedan

2025 Kia K4 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteriaRating
Small overlap front
G
Moderate overlap front: original test
G
Side: updated test
G

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Evaluation criteriaRating
Headlights
A
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Standard system
G

Other available safety features

  • Standard blind spot detection
  • Standard lane departure warning
  • Optional lane departure prevention
  • Standard rear automatic braking

Key

  • Good
  • Acceptable
  • Marginal
  • Poor

Small overlap front

The small overlap front evaluation consists of a driver-side and a passenger-side component. If the results of the two evaluations differ, then the combined small overlap rating is equal to the lower rating.

Driver-side

  • Rating applies to 2025 models

Tested vehicle: 2025 Kia K4 LXS 4-door

The Kia K4 was introduced in the 2025 model year, replacing the Forte nameplate in the Kia lineup. Driver-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 K4 conducted by Hyundai/Kia.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall driver-side evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2413
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 2
Footrest (cm) 3
Left toepan (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 3
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 0
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 1
Upper dash (cm) 1
Lower instrument panel (cm) 1

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTN2413
Head
HIC-15 261
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.3
Extension bending moment (Nm) 15
Maximum Nij 0.24
Chest maximum compression (mm) 35
Femur (kN)
Left 0.6
Right 0.3
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 0
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.40
Right 0.52
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.7
Right 2.1
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 51
Right 84

Passenger-side

  • Rating applies to 2025 models

Tested vehicle: 2025 Kia K4 EX 4-door

The Kia K4 was introduced in the 2025 model year, replacing the Forte nameplate in the Kia lineup. Passenger-side small overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 K4 conducted by Hyundai/Kia.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall passenger-side evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Hip/thigh
G
Lower leg/foot
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2416
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 5
Footrest (cm) 7
Right toepan (cm) 7
Center toepan (cm) 7
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 0
Upper occupant compartment
Center dash (cm) 5
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 6
Upper dash (cm) 6
Right lower dash (cm) 5

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2416
Head
HIC-15 193
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Extension bending moment (Nm) 16
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 27
Femur (kN)
Left 0.2
Right 0.3
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.42
Right 0.58
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.2
Right 2.2
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 47
Right 38

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTP2416
Head
HIC-15 95
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.0
Extension bending moment (Nm) 11
Maximum Nij 0.18
Chest maximum compression (mm) 36
Femur (kN)
Left 0.2
Right 0.3
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 1
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.37
Right 0.26
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 0.7
Right 0.9
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 23
Right 42

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2025 models

Tested vehicle: 2025 Kia K4 4-door

The Kia K4 was introduced in the 2025 model year, replacing the Forte nameplate in the Kia lineup. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 K4 conducted by Hyundai/Kia.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
G
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Chest
G
Leg/foot, left
G
Leg/foot, right
G
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteriaMeasurement
Test ID VTF2406
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 4
Left (cm) 7
Center (cm) 5
Right (cm) 3
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 0
Right (cm) 0
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -1
Rearward (cm) 5
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 0

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTF2406
Head
HIC-15 206
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.5
Extension bending moment (Nm) 8
Maximum Nij 0.16
Chest maximum compression (mm) 29
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.2
Femur force - right (kN) 0.4
Knee displacement - left (mm) 0
Knee displacement - right (mm) 0
Maximum tibia index - left 0.33
Maximum tibia index - right 0.40
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 1.5
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.3
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 54
Right 59

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: updated test

Rating applies to 2025 models

Tested vehicle: 2025 Kia K4 4-door

The Kia K4 was introduced in the 2025 model year, replacing the Forte nameplate in the Kia lineup. Side 2.0 ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test of a 2025 K4 conducted by Hyundai/Kia.

Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Structure and safety cage
A
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
A
Pelvis
A
Driver head protection
G
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
G
Torso
A
Pelvis
G
Rear passenger head protection
G
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2421
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -17.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2421
Head
HIC-15 253
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.5
Compression (kN) -0.6
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 32
Lateral force (kN) 1.4
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 40
Average deflection (mm) 36
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.97
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.65
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 4.4

Passenger injury measures

Evaluation criteria Measurement
Test ID VTS2421
Head
HIC-15 187
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.4
Compression (kN) -0.6
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 51
Lateral force (kN) 1.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 34
Average deflection (mm) 29
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.82
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.64
Pelvis
Combined force (kN) 3.0

About the side crash test

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • GT-Line Turbo trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the left side of the road and fair on the right side. On curves, visibility was fair on both right curves and inadequate on both left curves.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and all 4 curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Trim level(s)
  • GT-Line Turbo trim
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2025 models
A
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 78.9 m None
Straightaway left edge 55.2 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 62.3 m None
250m radius left curve, right edge 40.5 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 48.9 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 41.8 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 168.3 m
Straightaway left edge 161.4 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 72.8 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 68.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 60.5 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 55.2 m

Trim level(s)

  • LX trim
  • LXS trim
  • EX trim
  • GT-Line trim
Evaluation criteriaRating
Low-beam headlight typeLED reflector
High-beam headlight typeLED reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
A
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on both right curves and fair on both left curves.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was good on both right curves and fair on both left curves.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on both left curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Evaluation criteria Measurement
Trim level(s)
  • LX trim
  • LXS trim
  • EX trim
  • GT-Line trim
Low-beam headlight type LED reflector
High-beam headlight type LED reflector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2025 models
A
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 95.2 m 30.9%
Straightaway left edge 63.8 m 30.9%
250m radius right curve, right edge 80.2 m 9.1%
250m radius left curve, left edge 64.5 m 3.5%
150m radius right curve, right edge 61.8 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 52.6 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 146.0 m
Straightaway left edge 115.7 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 86.4 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 72.7 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 65.0 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 56.6 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: pedestrian

Rating applies to all 2025 models

System details

  • standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
Evaluation criteriaRating
Overall evaluation
G
Includes high-beam assist credit

Crossing child — day

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 15 mph.

Crossing adult — night

  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, impact speed was reduced by 16 mph.

Parallel adult — night

  • In the 25 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision.
  • In the 37 mph test, this vehicle avoided a collision when using its high beams and a warning was issued 1.9 seconds before impact. When using its low beams, this vehicle avoided a collision and a warning was issued 1.5 seconds before impact.

About the pedestrian front crash prevention test