2026 Kia K4 Safety Rating
Small cars Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS data updated 2026-09-04
The 2026 Kia K4 scores 69.8/100, ranking #15 of 16 current small cars and #120 of 137 vehicles overall with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
Results below Good: Moderate overlap front (updated test) rated Marginal, Headlights rated Acceptable. Rear-passenger restraints in the updated moderate-overlap test: Marginal; rear-passenger head protection: Good.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (56 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Small overlap front
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Side: updated test
Headlights
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Seat belt reminders
Opens on iihs.org in a new tab
How the score is built
Full formula, weights, and missing-data rules β
NHTSA 5-star rating
2026 KIA K4 5DR 5 HB N/A FWD
NHTSA stars are shown for reference and carry no weight in the score. NHTSA source. Why the two programs disagree β
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 54 per million registered vehicle-years | Small cars as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
Compared with other small cars
Closest-scoring current small cars with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every small car ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Hyundai Elantra | #1 of 16 | TSP | $22,625 | 94.1 | |
| 2026 Subaru Crosstrek | #13 of 16 | β | $26,995 | 73.6 | |
| 2026 Subaru Impreza | #13 of 16 | β | $26,595 | 73.6 | |
| 2026 Kia K4 (this page) | #15 of 16 | β | $24,890 | 69.8 | |
| 2026 Subaru WRX | #16 of 16 | β | $32,495 | 67.0 |
Our analysis
The 2026 Kia K4 belongs to the Small cars class. This class has an above-average driver death rate compared with the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years, which usually reflects lighter weight and smaller size in multi-vehicle crashes. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Kia K4 has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award for 2026. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 5 IIHS rating categories reported, the Kia K4 earned 2 Good ratings. Results below Good deserve attention, especially the updated frontal and side tests that IIHS toughened in 2022 and 2023. Our updated crash test analysis explains what changed.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Kia or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Kia K4
No recalls on record. NHTSA lists this model year and currently shows no recall campaigns against it.
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Questions about the 2026 Kia K4
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Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.