Kia K4 2026 Price: How Much the Cheapest Compact Sedan in the US Costs

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New cars are getting more expensive across the board in the US, and cheap compact sedans are getting harder to find. Right now the price floor in the segment belongs to the 2026 Kia K4: the base LX trim starts at $22,290 before delivery. Kia charges an additional $1,245 for destination, bringing the true starting price to $23,535.

For comparison, the 2026 Nissan Sentra starts at $22,600, the Hyundai Elantra at $22,625, the Toyota Corolla at $23,125, and the Volkswagen Jetta at $23,995. The gap is small, but the K4 is the one holding the bottom of the segment for now.

The base Kia runs a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 147 horsepower, paired with an IVT continuously variable transmission. According to EPA figures, that’s roughly 29 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. Even the entry-level LX comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.

There’s still something cheaper on dealer lots: leftover 2025 Nissan Versa units, with the manual-transmission version officially starting at $17,390. But that’s a prior model-year car in a different, smaller class — Nissan isn’t offering a 2026 Versa at all.

Against the broader US market, the K4’s price stands out even more. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price for a new car in the US hit $49,855 in July 2026, while the compact-car segment averaged $27,904. That means even with delivery included, the base K4 runs roughly $4,400 below the average deal in its own class.