Kia has a new paint by numbers product strategy; first, trading in years of Optima equity to rename their midsize sedan the K5, and second, giving their compact Forte a reboot as the K4. So, let’s see if it all makes for a brighter spectrum for Kia.

Sometimes a vehicle gets such a drastic update that the brand feels an entirely new name is appropriate. That’s the case here, as we’re saying good-bye to the Kia Forte and hello to this 2025 Kia K4 sedan. We’ve been down this road before, as the Forte itself was once a replacement, taking over for the Spectra in 2010.

Whatever they’re calling it these days, it is easily one of the smoothest compact cars we’ve ever driven, from Kia or anyone else. It packs in lots of tech, too, with 11 active driving assist features standard and up to 29 available including Emergency Evasive Steering Assist. A 30-inch-wide housing contains both the 12.3-inch digital gauge display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment; but, unlike other similar setups, it’s integrated into the dash more than just sitting on top of it. While there are lots of standard features as we’ve come to expect from Kia, they’ve pumped up high-end add-ons too, including Harmon Kardon premium audio, multi-colored ambient lighting, and sporty SynTex covered seats that are both heated and ventilated.

Rear-seat headroom and legroom are both excellent for the class, approaching midsize territory. All the additional space comes from a wheelbase increase of about an inch over the Forte sedan; it’s also almost 2-inches wider.

The K4 is a great looking compact four-door too, but with sport sedan proportions and a definite hatchback vibe. And on that subject, a five-door will join the sedan late this year, something that’s been missing in Kia’s compact ranks since the Forte5’s run ended in 2018. In the meantime, you’ll just have to make do with this still huge 14.6 cu-ft trunk for storage, extended by split folding rear seat backs.

Standard power comes from a 147-horsepower naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter I4 which carries over unchanged from the Forte. But if you can swing it, we highly recommend stepping up to this 1.6-liter turbo-four found in the GT-Line Turbo. Its 190 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque moves things from commuter car closer to sport sedan territory. It also gets you a true eight-speed automatic transmission in place of the standard CVT, and 18-inch wheels.

At Mason-Dixon Dragway, it didn’t exactly pounce off the line, but there was a nice punch of power when the turbo was fully spooled up, getting us to 60 in 6.7 seconds. Not as quick as some competitors, but that’s much improved compared to the 8.1-second runs from the Forte with the 2.0-liter. We found the eight-speed to prioritize smoothness over sportiness, however, resulting in quarter-mile times of 15.3 seconds at 95 mph. There wasn’t a whole lot of engine noise, but we really felt that small powerplant working overtime moving down the track.

The GT-Line puts some credence to the term “sport-tuned suspension” by ditching the standard car’s rear torsion beam for a multi-link setup, working with grippier 18-inch tires, and a quicker steering ratio. It had us whipping in and out of the cones with ease, feeling quick and agile; easily one of the most fun compacts we’ve driven this year. There was very neutral behavior, as we scooted through our handling course at Porsche-like speeds. Steering was light but still gave us plenty of feedback; and no matter how hard we pushed, stability systems stayed out of the way. The GT-Line Turbo gets 1-inch-larger front brake rotors too; they delivered plenty of feedback and consistent fade-free short stops, averaging just 100 feet from 60 with minimal nosedive.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the turbo are 26 city, 36 highway, and 29 combined. Our highway-heavy mileage loop returned 35.0 mpg of regular. That’s a better than average Energy Impact Score, using 10.3 barrels of oil annually with 5.0 tons of CO2 emissions. K4 pricing starts with LX at $23,165 and tops out at the GT-Line Turbo for $29,265.

At its essence, the automotive industry is just a big numbers game. Whether we’re talking about dollars, horsepower, fuel economy, tow ratings, 0-60s, storage capacity, it’s all just numbers. But more often than not, it’s the things that fall between the numbers that really make the difference, and Kia has been winning that game for years. Considering this 2025 Kia K4 sedan offers features and a level of sophistication well above its price point, it looks like that winning streak will continue.