2 days ago
Redesigned 2026 Kia K4 Spied In California Ahead Of Debut
US-Spec Kia K4 Sedan Spied
The 2026 Kia K4 has been spotted on American roads completely undisguised (since we already know what it looks like), heralding an imminent launch for the automaker's surprisingly popular sedan, which has helped Kia achieve remarkable sales this year. Its distinctive design hasn't hurt sales, but the Korean automaker is already making significant changes to its styling, and this test mule appearing on Orange County roads without any camouflage means those changes are almost ready to reach the dealer.
New Headlights Give K4 Robotic Look
The current Kia K4 has headlights that stretch in three directions: toward the rear of the fenders, toward the bottom of the bumper, and toward the center of the front fascia. Similarly, the rear end has a taillight setup where the housings have both vertical and horizontal bars, which almost creates the commonplace full-width lightbar. For the new model, that quirky design has improved somewhat, as the headlights are now simpler and more upright, which gives us EV9 vibes. At the rear, the taillights now stretch into the fenders, and the horizontal accents have been removed. A pair of small spoilers on either end of the rear windshield also appear to be new.
Final Testing Now Underway
With minimal white vinyl on elements like the bumpers, door handles, charging port, rear fenders, and side skirts, as well as what appear to be production wheels (missing their center caps, though), this K4 sedan prototype seems like the finished product. Although we've hardly seen the new K4 anywhere on the internet, this may already be our last preview, as the new design is expected to arrive for the 2026 model year. Hopefully, it will retain the attractive pricing of the pre-facelift version, which starts at a scarcely believable $21,990, before destination and handling. With the effects of tariffs still casting doubt on pricing, speculating on how much the MSRP may change is probably fruitless, but a small increase seems likely. If you don't mind the current design (seen below), there will probably be some good incentives for the 2025 model when the 2026 variant arrives at dealers.
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