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Every once in a while, we test a vehicle that we feel is a bit out of step with its price point and segment. This past week, it happened when we tested the $29,285 Kia K4 GT-Line Turbo. Based on its content, and driving satisfaction, we feel this vehicle is underpriced by about $10K. It is so good that it has no business being sold for less than $30,000. Based on the cars we have tested in this segment, we would have expected this K4 to ring in close to $40K in today’s horribly debased U.S. dollars.
The K4 is a roomy, four-door midsized sedan. GT-Line means it has the sporty bits, and Turbo means its powertrain is upgraded to the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine. While we absolutely like the K4 (non-turbo), the upgraded engine is a big deal. It bumps up torque from a low by any measure 132 lb-ft, to a very respectable 195 lb-ft.. That torque is available from 1,700-4,500 rpm. The translation of all this gibberish is that the GT-Line Turbo pulls strongly and offers a very satisfying experience when driven assertively.
The K4 GT-Line Turbo is just short of being a sports sedan. Frankly, we’re glad that Kia didn’t go Full-Sport with the car. Its suspension is soft enough for comfortable commuting, and its demeanor is chill enough when in normal mode for relaxing cruising. Hit the Sport button conveniently located on the bottom of the steering wheel and start pulling the paddles, and it this car is a blast on open roads.
We took the K4 to New Hampshire’s rural back roads. Up and down lonely mountain passes, the K4 was fantastic. We used Sport mode about 50% of the time we had the car, and still saw 38 MPG over hundreds of miles of use. We could not stop driving this car.
The great drive is just part of why this car should cost much, much more. The content is astounding for under $30K. Here is what impressed us:
1) Huge power moonroof with a power shade.
Heated seats with power adjustment for the driver.
2) Fantastic Infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
3) Premium Harman/Kardon Audio
4) Spare tire!
5) Quiet operation thanks to an Acoustic Windshield
6) Passenger volume controls (thumbwheel)
7) 8-Speed Automatic Transmission With Paddles and Sport Mode (In other words, it’s not a lousy CVT)
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We really loved the many small details Kia included. The spare tire was the best of these, but we also loved that the car had a way for the passenger to control the volume. The fuel door and trunk controls are on the floor, as they always should be. The SynTex seats felt great to the touch, and the perforated material kept us from overheating.
Our tester added the $2,200 Technology package that adds a bunch of active safety stuff and a digital key we’d rather not have. It also adds ventilated seats, which we would like to have, but not for $2,200. We’d try to find a K4 GT-Line Turbo without that package.
During our travels, the fuel economy rose to 41.5 MPG before we got caught up in the paddle shifters and drove the car like we stole it for hours on a mountain road. 38 MPG using regular fuel means this car has a seven-cent per mile cost of fuel where we live (Gas is about $2.80). That is roughly what it costs to power an EV using public charging. This car is crazy affordable.
Trust us; this car is a screaming bargain even before you factor in its 10-year powertrain warranty. If you are trying to find a great car for under $30K, find a K4 GT-Line Turbo at your nearest Kia dealer, and if they sell it to you at sticker price, buy them a box of donuts.
For complete clarity, here is how the K4 GT-Line Turbo pricing works:
MSRP = $28,090
Destination Fee = $1,195
Subtotal = $29,285
Dealer Doc Fee – Budget $400
Target out the door price before tax and registration = $29,700
The Technology Package we would skip adds $2,200.
Can you name a better car at this price point? Tell us in the comments below.
John Goreham is the Vice President of the New England Motor Press Association and an expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on LinkedIn and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John’s by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
Images by John Goreham
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Source: torquenews.com
