The 2025 Kia K4 is associated with 45 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Other / Uncategorized, accounting for 6 reports (13% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 1.6l 4-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 29 to 34 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 45 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Other / Uncategorized (6 / 13%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 10 crash / 0 fire / 6 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 29–34 MPG (3 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| K4 | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S1) | 30 MPG | 40 MPG | 34 MPG | — | $1,800 / yr |
| K4 | 2L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AV-S1) | 29 MPG | 39 MPG | 33 MPG | — | $1,850 / yr |
| K4 | 1.6L 4-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 26 MPG | 36 MPG | 29 MPG | — | $2,100 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| 4 DR FWD | | | | | 9.9% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard & Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2025 Kia K4 models.
View complete 2025 Kia K4 crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2025 Kia K4 problems & component breakdown (32 categories) →
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
Free Manufacturer Remedy: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
Affected Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K4 and Sorento vehicles. The connecting rod bolts in the engine may have been improperly tightened, which can cause a loss of drive power.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the sub engine assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 12, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC349.
View all 2025 Kia K4 recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →