Bad news for Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal: 2025 Kia EV4 sedan price revealed in Korea but will it be enough to keep the brand ahead of more incoming Chinese rivals?

Kia has revealed pricing for its upcoming EV4 sedan in its Korean home market, and keen price tags could spell bad news for its rivals in Australia.

Starting from the equivalent of $46,000, the EV4 range offers two battery sizes and comes initially in front-wheel drive form only, similar to the EV5 mid-size SUV with which it shares its underpinnings.

Those underpinnings are the smaller format front-wheel drive version of the 'e-GMP' architecture which underpins Kia’s entire EV range aside from the Niro. It is equipped with the latest 'fourth-generation' battery from Hyundai Group, although unlike the larger EV series vehicles, it remains a 400-volt architecture rather than an 800-volt one.

The smaller standard-range battery size measures 58.3kWh and offers a driving range of 382km, while the larger long-range battery option measures 81.4kWh battery offering a 533km range according to the Korean-standard energy certification.

With its sleek design, the EV4 has a drag coefficient of 0.23, said to be the best aerodynamic performance of all current Kia vehicles.

The EV4 can charge from 10-80 per cent in 31 minutes for the long-range variant, or 29 minutes for the standard range.

Launch front-wheel drive versions in Korea are equipped with a 150kW/283Nm electric motor, although an all-wheel drive performance version is expected at a later date.

The Korean version is available in three variants, the base Air, mid-grade Earth, and top-spec GT-Line, priced from the equivalent of A$46,000, $51,044 and $52,350. The long-range battery adds roughly $4600 to each variant.

Standard equipment ranges from 17- to 19-inch alloy wheels, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and multimedia touchscreen, synthetic leather interior trim (in either brown or black theme) with heated front seats, LED headlights, wireless phone charging, as well as a high level of active safety equipment and nine airbags.

Kia has previously confirmed the EV4 will arrive in Australia, although it is yet to confirm timing or local specifications. It is understood the Australian market will only receive the Korean-built sedan, and not the EV4’s hatchback version which will only be built at Hyundai Group’s Slovakian factory.

The EV4 will add to Kia’s rapidly expanding range of electric vehicles as the Korean automaker fights off an onslaught of affordable EV models from China.

While the EV4 looks as though it could be appealing value compared to Tesla’s base Model 3 (which now starts from $54,900 in Australia) it will also have to fight off the BYD Seal (from $46,990) and could face its greatest challenge in the form of the XPeng Mona M03 which the Chinese company’s local importer is keen to bring to Australia.

Additionally, the entry price of mid-size electric cars generally has just hit its most affordable point ever, with Geely’s EX5 mid-size SUV landing from just $40,990, before on-roads.