Tesla and many of the Chinese brands hitting the market have conditioned us into thinking performance electric cars need crazy horsepower and supercar-beating acceleration times. But there’s something of a fightback from brands saying fun is less about numbers and more about how a car makes you feel at real-world speeds, recent arrivals like the Vauxhall Corsa GSE, Alpine A290 and Peugeot e-208 GTi focusing on things like better steering, more powerful brakes and upgraded suspension rather than outright bragging rights. And here comes Kia doing the same with this EV4 GT, a hot-hatch version of the deeply impressive EV4 with a bit more poke, sporty styling and fun features like simulated gearchanges to keep reformed petrolheads happy. Something it very much achieves!
The EV4 GT is too expensive to qualify for the Electric Car Grant but the regular version does, signalling the government thinks it’s got greener creds than many. Kia’s homepage link to its sustainability information is filed under “innovation” - it needs to be more clearly signposted for consumers. Sister company Hyundai provides much fuller answers to questions around lifecycle analysis of its products and transparency of battery suppliers. Good detail on recycled steel scrap, though. In 2024, Kia used approximately 204,000 tons of steel, of which 103,000 tons were recycled. Roughly 80 per cent of this scrap – 82,000 tons – is sent to steel manufacturers, who separate impurities during the steelmaking process and adjust material composition to reuse the scrap. This circular resource activity reduces carbon emissions by approximately 166,000 tonnes annually. The remaining 20 per cent, about 21,000 tonnes, is used by partner companies in foundries to produce automotive parts.
Running costs for a Kia EV4
“Anyone going for the GT is doing so for fun first, value for money second”
We’ll dock a point from the regular EV4’s top mark for value for the fact the GT is quite a bit more expensive to buy, and nor does it qualify for the Electric Car Grant as others in the range do. It’s also a bit more pricey than similar electric hot-hatches, like the VW ID.3 GTX or related Cupra Born VZ. Though not by enough to call it a deal breaker. Pays your money and takes your choice, and anyone going for the GT is doing so for fun first, value for money second. Other than that, you’ll likely know the script for electric cars by now, that being cheaper running costs than a combustion or hybrid car if you can charge at home or run it as a company vehicle. The base price at least (just) ducks the expensive car supplement on VED/road tax as well, at least so long as you don’t add any options tipping you over the £50,000 threshold.
Expert rating: 4/5
Reliability of a Kia EV4
“If you are unfortunate enough to have any issues there is, of course, that seven-year warranty”
Kia has a solid reputation for reliability, and its electric tech is well-proven across its line-up. And if you are unfortunate enough to have any issues there is, of course, that seven-year warranty. Some of the Chinese brands are now matching this but it remains a signature selling point for all Kias, and will more than out-last most initial finance or lease cycles. As such, reliability shouldn’t be much of a worry for first or even second owners.
Expert rating: 5/5
Safety for a Kia EV4
“Even on freshly rain-soaked roads we were able to enjoy the GT’s performance in confidence”
True, the EV4 GT is built for speed and to satisfy the demands of keen drivers but it does so in a very socially responsible manner, with the appropriate upgrades to tyres, brakes, suspension and the rest to put its extra power to the road safely. Something not all of its rivals do with their prioritising of big power outputs over everything else. Bravo for that, and even on freshly rain-soaked roads we were able to enjoy the GT’s performance in confidence, the twin-motor set-up putting it to the road through all four wheels. As a top-of-the-range model it gets ALL the safety tech as well, including the genuinely useful stuff like blindspot warnings with additional rearward camera views in the instrument cluster when you put the indicator on to change lane. This has been a Kia and Hyundai thing for a while now, but is one of the more helpful bits of modern safety tech.
Expert rating: 5/5
How comfortable is the Kia EV4
“It’s just as comfortable up front, spacious in the back and smooth and quiet on a run”
You lose a fraction of boot space to the additional rear motor but, other than that, there are seemingly zero compromises in terms of comfort or refinement in choosing the GT over the regular EV4. Which is great news, for the fact it’s just as comfortable up front, spacious in the back and smooth and quiet on a run. Again, credit to Kia’s mature interpretation of what sportiness really means, the adjustable suspension still smoothing out the bumps even when in the most aggressive GT mode while the extra weight in the steering is enough to add precision to the driving experience without straining your arm muscles. Rock-solid build quality means no rattles or squeaks and wind and road noise seem very well contained. And if you want to have some fun and make it all feel a bit more exciting you can switch on the fake engine noise and pretend you’re in a traditional petrol-powered hot hatch, as you choose!
Expert rating: 5/5
Features of the Kia EV4
“As a flagship model the GT isn’t wanting for kit, and you get all the goodies Kia can throw at the EV4”
Even with the little flashes of neon trim the GT’s cabin feels a little dark and sombre, but the sports seats and additional flourishes are carried off in some style. Again, as a flagship model the GT isn’t wanting for kit, and you get all the goodies Kia can throw at the EV4, including heated and ventilated front seats, power tailgate, thumping Harman Kardon sound system and more besides. Onboard tech powers paired screens for instruments and infotainment, driven by Kia’s typically slick operating system with sharp graphics, logical menus and easy phone mirroring via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Physical controls for essentials are also present and correct, ditto touch-sensitive shortcut buttons beneath the screen. GT-specific features include the Virtual Gear Shift function, launch control, GT and configurable My Drive modes, aforementioned electronically-controlled suspension and sportier wheels, bodykit and exterior trimmings.
Expert rating: 5/5
Power for a Kia EV4
“On the road it feels just about right, and way more relevant than the frankly ludicrous outputs claimed by some rivals”
Number crunchers may be disappointed the EV4 GT’s 288 horsepower lags a little behind its most obvious rivals like the VW ID.3 GTX and Cupra Born VZ but, where it matters, performance seems on a par, at least by crude measures like 0-62mph times. Out on the road it feels just about right, and way more relevant than the frankly ludicrous outputs claimed by some rivals. We spent most of our drive in GT mode, and you can feel the car tense in readiness for action the moment you press the big green button on the wheel. Acceleration is as strong as it is smooth, speed building without pummelling passengers’ skulls into headrests as can happen in some rivals. We also enjoyed some of the GT-specific features, like active sound design that builds quietly as you accelerate and then changes in pitch as you come off the throttle as a petrol engine would. If you want more of this you can switch to the Active Gear Shift, going up and down the ‘gears’ on the paddles as you would have done in your old petrol hot hatch. Sure, it’s a bit of a gimmick. But it genuinely makes the driving experience that bit more immersive and enjoyable. And if you don’t like it you can turn it all off and enjoy the peace of silent electric drive instead. Choice is yours!
