Karmactive Team
The 2025 Kia K4 has received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest honor, the 2025 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. This important recognition applies specifically to K4 models built after January 2025, highlighting the vehicle’s strong performance in the most rigorous safety tests to date.
“The K4 is a standout example of how Kia continues to raise the bar in delivering sedans that combine performance, technology, and safety,” said Steven Center, COO and EVP of Kia America. “It’s not enough to just offer great features. Our customers also expect peace of mind and the K4’s TSP+ rating shows it delivers on every front.”
To earn the coveted TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation for 2025, vehicles must achieve “Good” ratings in three critical tests: the small overlap front, updated moderate overlap front, and updated side tests. They must also earn at least an “Acceptable” rating for pedestrian front crash prevention in both day and night conditions, plus come with standard headlights rated “Acceptable” or “Good” across all trim levels.
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The K4’s achievement is particularly notable for meeting enhanced standards for rear-seat occupant protection. Kia made specific modifications to the rear seatbelts for vehicles built after January 2025, which proved crucial for earning the TSP+ award. This improvement addresses a key focus of the IIHS’s updated testing, which now includes an additional dummy representing a smaller occupant in the second row.
The 2025 K4 joins a select group of compact sedans to earn this highest safety rating. Other models in the same category with the TOP SAFETY PICK+ for 2025 include the Honda Civic hatchback, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda 3, and Toyota Prius.
Beyond crash protection, the K4 comes equipped with extensive safety technology. It features 11 standard Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and up to 29 available safety features. The sedan also boasts nearly 30 inches of combined digital displays, a Harman Kardon audio system, heated and ventilated front seats, and Digital Key 2.0 with Ultra-Wideband.
This achievement continues Kia’s commitment to vehicle safety, with several other Kia models also earning IIHS safety recognition. For the 2024 awards, the Kia Telluride received the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation, while the K4 (built before November 2024), Sportage, EV9, and Sorento earned TOP SAFETY PICK awards.
As vehicle safety standards continue to evolve and become more stringent, the K4’s top rating demonstrates how manufacturers are adapting to provide better protection for all vehicle occupants, not just those in the front seats.
