Kia EV4

Eye-catching electric car line-up expands with a new hatchback and executive saloon On sale Autumn Price from £34,695

- ELEANOR COOPER [e-mail]

FOURTH TIME AROUND isn't just a song by Bob Dylan; it also acts as a nice introduction for the new Kia EV4. You see, chronologically, it's the fourth member of the brand's EV family to reach the UK, following the EV6, EV9 and EV3, and beating its EV5 sister to the market.

All of those models are SUVs, though, whereas the EV4 is a Fastback saloon to rival the Tesla Model 3, as well as a hatchback in the mould of the Volkswagen ID 3. And it's the hatchback version that goes on sale first.

Closely related to the EV3, the EV4 borrows its smaller sibling's battery and motor options. The 55kWh (usable capacity) battery gives the EV4 hatch an official range of up to 273 miles, whereas the bigger, 78kWh (usable capacity) battery promises up to 388 miles. That beats the official range of the longest-range version of the ID 3.

The EV4 Fastback will be available exclusively with the larger battery, in which it promises up to 380 miles of range. By comparison, the entry-level Model 3 offers just 323 miles, but the Model 3 Long Range RWD ups that to 436 miles.