Kia Romauto press release, 15 September 2026 — republished for Carboratory readers.

Kia K4 with safety pack receives Euro NCAP’s highest safety rating

Five-star rating for the Kia K4 with the “DriveWise ADAS” pack in the latest Euro NCAP safety tests.

The results include a score of 80% for adult occupant protection and 86% for child occupant protection.

The assistance systems are credited with strong overall safety performance, including driver monitoring to detect fatigue and inattention.

(Frankfurt am Main, Germany) 15 September 2026 – The Kia K4 fitted with the optional DriveWise ADAS pack has received the highest safety rating under Euro NCAP* test standards, Europe’s main independent car safety testing organisation. Designed to meet the demands of modern drivers, the K4 obtained the maximum five-star rating, which Kia presents as further confirmation of the safety level offered to European customers.

The K4 was assessed in four categories, scoring 80% for adult occupant protection and 86% for child occupant protection – including the maximum 12 points in the child-seat installation test. The K4 scored 77% for the protection of vulnerable road users (including pedestrians and cyclists) and 75% in Safety Assist, which assesses the availability and performance of advanced collision-avoidance technologies.

“This achievement reflects Kia’s commitment to providing customers with the highest level of safety across all vehicle segments,” said Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President Product, Marketing & Customer Experience at Kia Europe. “The K4 combines advanced safety technologies with practical everyday utility, supporting our goal of making innovative and accessible mobility available to more people.”

In adult occupant safety tests, the K4 offered solid protection in frontal, side and rear impacts, with good protection of the knees, femur and neck for both the driver and passengers. The tests highlighted the effectiveness of the driver-status monitoring system, which detects fatigue and certain forms of distraction and is intended to help keep attention on the road. The car is also fitted with an advanced eCall system that alerts emergency services in the event of an accident, and with a system intended to prevent secondary impacts after an initial collision.

In child passenger safety tests, the K4 scored 23.4 points out of 24 in frontal and side impact tests using dummies representing children aged 6 and 10, seated in the second row. The car is fitted with a child-presence detection system that issues a warning if a child or infant has been left inside, and all child-restraint systems designed for the K4 could be installed correctly.

In tests of protection for vulnerable road users – including pedestrians and cyclists – the K4 offered good or adequate protection for the head, pelvis and legs across the full width of the vehicle’s front end. The autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system reacts to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other vehicles, with particularly strong performance in scenarios involving cyclists, for which it scored 7 out of a maximum of 8 points.

In Safety Assist, the DriveWise ADAS pack showed an improved AEB response – especially with vehicles approaching at a right angle – to avoid or mitigate collisions. Lane-keeping assist (LKA) corrects the car’s path if it leaves the lane, while intelligent speed-limit assist (ISLA) identifies the speed limit in force and is intended to help the driver observe it.

About the Kia K4: design and technology, in Kia’s description

Kia describes the K4 as a model designed to meet the needs of modern drivers, with a generous interior, premium equipment and one of the most advanced technology ranges in its class. The company says the car was subjected to extensive testing at the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center (HMETC) and on various European test tracks, with the aim of an intuitive, safe and balanced driving experience.

Four stars for the standard K4

The Kia K4 without the DriveWise ADAS pack received a four-star Euro NCAP rating, with scores of 80% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child occupant protection, 73% for vulnerable road user protection and 67% in Safety Assist.

*Euro NCAP assessment based on ANCAP test results, carried out in accordance with testing standards equivalent to Euro NCAP.

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About Kia Romauto

Kia Romauto (www.kia.ro) has been the official distributor of vehicles produced by Kia Corporation in Romania since 2004. Its activity is focused on selling Kia passenger cars, original parts and accessories through the national dealer network. The company distributes the full Kia passenger-car range in Romania, both directly and through its dealers.

About Kia Corporation

Kia (www.kia.com) is a global mobility brand with a stated vision of creating sustainable mobility solutions for consumers, communities and societies worldwide. Founded in 1944, Kia has offered mobility solutions for more than 75 years. With 52,000 employees worldwide, a presence in more than 190 markets and production facilities in six countries, the company currently sells about three million cars a year. Kia says it is at the forefront of popularising electrified and battery-electric cars and is developing a growing range of mobility services. The company’s brand slogan – ‘Movement that inspires’ – reflects, in Kia’s words, its commitment to inspire consumers through its products and services.

For more information about Kia Corporation and its products, the company directs readers to its global media centre at www.kianewscenter.com.

About Kia Europe

Kia Europe is the sales, marketing and service division of Kia Corporation. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, it covers 39 commercial markets in Europe and the Caucasus.

Sources

Photograph: Kia / Euro NCAP.