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

I’m not going to sugarcoat this. Having examined the 2025 Honda Civic, I really feel that it’s nearly unbeatable. Significantly the hatchback variations. So, when Kia despatched us a brand new K4 to check, that clouded our judgment a bit. How may Kia probably match or high that new Civic? Effectively, they’ve, and relying in your priorities, the K4 might even be a greater choice. On this unconventional assessment, we’ll give attention to the issues that differentiate these two nice automobiles. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic – Exterior Fashion and Inside Styling
The nice information for buyers within the sub-$30K automobile market is that nice appears are free. Each the Civic and K4 are good-looking vehicles exterior. We significantly just like the coupe-style rear doorways on the K4. Kia’s now signature C-pillar can also be a styling component 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 high and backside was additionally novel, and we liked it. 

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

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic – Physique Types
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 individual’s opinion. The nice information is that each manufacturers will probably be providing each choices, so patrons can choose and select. 

Kia K4 vs. Honda Civic Pricing
We’ve reviewed costs and see that each of those fashions supply an incredible worth. You get a LOT for not a lot cash. Our K4 GT-Line tester had a shopper price 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 comparable content material has a worth 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 liked 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 excellent infotainment package deal. 

This is a list of all of the top-selling vehicles with spare tires. 

Kia K4 – The Drive
We discovered the K4 to have a terrific 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’d like extra energy, there’s a GT-Line Turbo with 191 hp out there, but it surely comes at a meaningfully larger price ticket. We’d most likely skip the turbo on this automobile, and dwell with the bottom energy score. The dealing with is good. It’s at all times gratifying to strive a low-slung sedan after being in crossovers more often than not.

If efficiency is a precedence for you on this automobile section, see should you can stretch the finances to the Mazda3 Turbo. It begins at $34K. 

Kia K4 GT-Line Conclusion
In case you are searching for a sub-$30K automobile, it’s laborious to miss the Kia K4 GT-Line. It gives a terrific look, fashionable inside, loads of house for 4 and even 5 passengers, and plenty of options we predict make it a terrific 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 searching 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 suppose Kia has a viable choice to the Honda Civic in its K4 GT-Line? Is that this a automobile you’ll cross-shop? Inform us within the feedback beneath.

All photographs by John Goreham. 

John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Affiliation member and skilled automobile tester. John accomplished an engineering program with a give attention to electrical automobiles, adopted by twenty years of labor in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive provide chain earlier than turning 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 printed hundreds of articles and evaluations at American information retailers. He’s recognized for providing unfiltered opinions on automobile subjects. You’ll be able to join with John on Linkedin and comply with 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 era instruments.