KIA'S EV IS 4-MIDABLE

KOREAN firm Kia is expanding its EV offerings even further with the EV4, which sets a new benchmark in the electric family hatchback class. But, what's it like against rivals? We took it for a spin.

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WHAT'S THE POINT?

The electric C-segment class is growing and Kia wants a stab at this sector. The EV4 isn’t an SUV, but is a practical and efficient five-door family hatchback taking on the Peugeot e-308 and Volkswagen ID.3.

It focuses on offering a practical interior, has some of the latest onboard technology and promises a best-in-class electric driving range.

WHAT'S NEW?

It's the first Kia EV to be produced in Europe and is designed to make it stand out from a crowd of plain-shaped alternatives. There is a choice of two battery packs on offer and two body styles, with a sleeker “Fastback” variant available too.

UNDER THE BONNET?

We're driving a version with the larger 81.4kWh unit.

It produces a total of 201bhp and 283Nm of torque, while 0-60mph takes 7.7 seconds and the top speed is 105mph.

Kia claims it can do up to 362 miles on a single charge which is best in class. All models are compatible with 350kW charging speeds and a 10-80% top-up will take 31 minutes.

The smaller 58.3kWh battery is only available on the entry-level car, but it produces the same power and torque as the bigger battery version, and manages a claimed 273 miles on a full charge.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?