Showing the 2026 K4 GT-Line. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
28–33 mpgcombined; city 26–29, highway 33–39; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$9,840–$11,600U.S. average; Ohio $8,790–$10,370 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2026 K4. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 K4. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Steering
5
2
0
0
Unknown or other
5
2
0
1
Lane departure
4
1
0
0
Electrical system
2
1
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
2
1
0
0
Air bags
1
1
0
0
Engine
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
1
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2026 K4 over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Seat belts: rear/other
NHTSA campaign 26V135000 · reported Mar 6, 2026 · 14,870 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the anchor buckle assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 5, 2026. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC364. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 20, 2026.
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2027 Kia Telluride and 2026 Kia K4 vehicles. The rear center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2026 K4 and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2027 Telluride may not latch properly.
Risk: A seat belt buckle that is not latched properly can fail to restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 7 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2026 K4, the latest on Jul 22, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (5), engine (2).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2026 K4.
EPA class: midsize cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 5–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
K4 Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 34 / 30
K4 Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S8)
Regular Gasoline
26 / 33 / 28
K4 w/ DMS Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 39 / 33
K4 without DMS Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (AV-S1)
Regular Gasoline
29 / 39 / 33
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 18, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data