Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

Join us for a test of Kia's new compact contender, the K4 sedan... Then, crank it up with "Your Drive" audio upgrades... We'll buckle in for a school boosting teen driving skills... Ending with an efficient review of Mazda's CX-50 Hybrid...

So, come drive with us, next!

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whether it's... JOHN: Kia has a new paint by numbers product strategy; first, trading in years of Optima equity to rename their midsize sedan the K5, and second, giving their compact Forte a reboot as the K4.

So, let's see if it all makes for a brighter spectrum for Kia.

♪ ♪ Sometimes, a vehicle gets such a drastic update that the brand feels an entirely new name is appropriate.

That's the case here, as we're saying good-bye to the Kia Forte and hello to this 2025 Kia K4 sedan.

We've been down this road before, as the Forte itself was once a replacement, taking over for the Spectra in 2010.

Whatever they're calling it these days, it is easily one of the smoothest compact cars we've ever driven, from Kia or anyone else.

It packs in lots of tech, too, with 11 active driving assist features standard and up to 29 available including Emergency Evasive Steering Assist.

A 30-inch-wide housing contains both the 12.3 inch digital gauge display and a 12.3 inch touchscreen for infotainment; but, unlike other similar setups, it's integrated into the dash more than just sitting on top of it.

While there are lots of standard features as we've come to expect from Kia, they've pumped up high-end add-ons too, including Harmon Kardon premium audio, multi-colored ambient lighting, and sporty SynTex covered seats that are both heated and ventilated.

Rear-seat headroom and legroom are both excellent for the class, approaching midsize territory.

All the additional space comes from a wheelbase increase of about an inch over the Forte sedan; it's also almost 2.0 inches wider.

The K4 is a great looking compact 4-door too, but with sport sedan proportions and a definite hatchback vibe.

And on that subject, a 5-door will join the sedan late this year, something that's been missing in Kia's compact ranks since the Forte5's run ended in 2018.

In the meantime, you'll just have to make do with this still huge 14.6 cubic-feet trunk for storage, extended by split folding rear seat backs.

Standard power comes from a 147 horsepower naturally-aspirated 2.0 liter I4 which carries over unchanged from the Forte.

But if you can swing it, we highly recommend stepping up to this 1.6 liter turbo-4 found in the GT-Line Turbo.

Its 190 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque moves things from commuter car closer to sport sedan territory.

It also gets you a true 8-speed automatic transmission in place of the standard CVT, and 18 inch wheels.

At Mason-Dixon Dragway, it didn't exactly pounce off the line, but there was a nice punch of power when the turbo was fully spooled up, getting us to 60 in 6.7 seconds.

Not as quick as some competitors, but that's much improved compared to the 8.1 second runs from the Forte with the 2.0 liter.

We found the 8-speed to prioritize smoothness over sportiness, however, resulting in quarter-mile times of 15.3 seconds at 95 miles per hour.

There wasn't a whole lot of engine noise, but we really felt that small powerplant working overtime moving down the track.

The GT-Line puts some credence to the term "sport-tuned suspension" by ditching the standard car's rear torsion beam for a multi-link setup, working with grippier 18 inch tires, and a quicker steering ratio.

It had us whipping in and out of the cones with ease, feeling quick and agile; easily one of the most fun compacts we've driven this year.

There was very neutral behavior, as we scooted through our handling course at Porsche-like speeds.

Steering was light but still gave us plenty of feedback; and no matter how hard we pushed, stability systems stayed out of the way.

The GT-Line Turbo gets 1.0 inch larger front brake rotors too; they delivered plenty of feedback and consistent fade-free short stops, averaging just 100 feet from 60 with minimal nosedive.

(car whooshing by) Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the turbo are 26 city, 36 highway, and 29 combined.

Our highway-heavy mileage loop returned 35.0 miles per gallon of Regular.

That's a better than average Energy Impact Score, using 10.3 Barrels of Oil Annually with 5.0 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

K4 pricing starts with LX at $23,165 and tops out at the GT-Line Turbo for $29,265.

At its essence, the automotive industry is just a big numbers game.

Whether, we're talking about dollars, horsepower, fuel economy, tow ratings, 0-60s, storage capacity, it's all just numbers.

But more often than not, it's the things that fall between the numbers that really make the difference, and Kia has been winning that game for years.

Considering this 2025 Kia K4 sedan offers features and a level of sophistication well above its price point, it looks like that winning streak will continue.

♪ ♪ JOHN: We're going to turn the mic over to Dan Maffett and guest now, with some very expansive and affordable ideas on upgrading your car's audio system.

So, let's turn up the volume on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

♪ ♪ DAN MAFFETT: Hey, guys.

I'm here with JR, the training manager at Crutchfield, and we're talking about the infotainment systems in new cars.

ADAM "JR" STOFFEL: Yeah, they're big, they're beautiful.

Huge touchscreens, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Navigation... all that stuff, it integrates with your car, it looks great.

You don't really want to replace it, and, then in a lot of cars, you can't.

Uh, But you can make your car sound much better.

DAN: Right.

There's a lot of accessories and things you can add to improve the quality.

JR: Yeah, and there's a lot of vehicle-specific systems, so you can leave that infotainment center in the dash and add amplifiers, speakers, subwoofers.

What we've done in this Jeep back here is we've added a Rockford Fosgate Stage 5 system, which includes two subs that fit in specific spots in the Jeep, two new roll bar speakers, two new dash speakers, two tweeters, two amplifiers, and an interface called the DSR1 that allows all of that to work with the infotainment system, uh, with the computers in the car, the CAN bus system; so, it is very smart, and it- and it can be completely tuned to the, uh, to the listener's liking.

It's amazing.

DAN: That's incredible, cause that's the daunting part, is when you start plugging new things in, are you going to throw codes on the computer systems?

JR: Right, and if, and if it does, uh, these newfangled things can figure that out and fix that so that your vehicle doesn't freak out.

DAN: That's fantastic.

Now, what if you have something that's not vehicle specific, but you want to still upgrade what you have?

Is that what we have here on this table?

JR: Yeah, we've got a lot of options for that.

Everything from speakers that are made to work with factory radios or amplifiers.

Adding a powered subwoofer is an easy way to make almost any car sound a lot better.

Uh, In this Colorado back here we added this Kicker KEY amplifier, which is a simple DSP amp: Four channels, 50 watts, a lot more power.

You can keep the factory speakers or replace them.

It has a microphone; it analyzes the sound in your car and fixes it for you.

DAN: Wow.

JR: The difference is astounding, and it's not expensive or that difficult.

And if you use a, uh, one of the vehicle-specific harnesses, it will even make it so you don't have to cut the wires in the dash.

DAN: Okay.

JR: You plug these into the outputs of the radio, you send music to the amp, from the amp you go back up to the wires in the dash, and you're taken care of.

So, you're not even going to void any kind of warranty or anything like that.

DAN: Excellent.

And that kind of gets you into the realm of "plug and play."

JR: That "plug and play," that's a scary word.

It's not always so easy to get to everything, remove the dash, all of that stuff; but once you're there, with a lot of these solutions, you can plug and then play.

DAN: That makes a lot of sense.

Well, thank you for having us, I really appreciate it.

And, guys, if you any questions or comments, hit us up right here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: Statistics show that teen drivers are involved in deadly car accidents three times more than adult drivers.

So, a teen advanced car control driving school is one great idea to keep teens and our roads safe.

Our Stephanie Hart traveled to Concord, North Carolina, to show us the lifesaving driving skills that teens are learning to master.

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: I'm here at the zMAX Dragway where teens are learning lifesaving driving skills on three courses like this one, completing a total of six exercises.

This course is designed to simulate wet driving conditions during the B.R.A.K.E.S.

advanced car control driving school.

INSTRUCTOR: Get up to 14, and off the gas.

Alright, easy, turn, easy, correct, correct, correct... Whammm.

STEPHANIE: That's what happens when you abruptly turn the wheel during a rear wheel skid.

Through hands-on trial and error, the teens eventually got the hang out it thanks to excellent instructors.

INSTRUCTOR: Alright, off the gas, no brake.

Alright, easy turn, keep turning, keep turning correct, correct, correct, steer to that car.

So, you're getting right here and you're stopping, alright?

Use that hand over steering, keeping steering the wheel to catch back up with the car.

STEPHANIE: As the teens learned, slowly steering into the skid can prevent an accident and keep everyone safe on the road.

AMELIA TELFORD: I didn't know you were supposed to turn into the slide.

I thought just slam on the brakes and that really could be worse.

And it taught me a lot, and it's going to make me more cautious on the road.

STEPHANIE: One hundred eighty teens and parents are participating in the free two-day B.R.A.K.E.S.

advanced car control driving school.

The program is open to most teens who have a learner's permit or driver's license with at least 30 hours of driving experience.

MATT REILY: The B.R.A.K.E.S.

is a non-profit charity that was started back in 2008 right after NHRA star Doug Herbert lost both his boys in a horrible car accident here in North Carolina, and Doug wanted to do something to try to teach other teens how to be safe behind the wheels.

STEPHANIE: B.R.A.K.E.S.

has trained more than 150,000 people in 15 states during the last 17 years.

MATT: Personally, I don't want to see another teen not get that training and not make it home.

At this age, you go into high school with a 50 percent chance that they may get involved in a car crash and with our program we have shown, statistically, our graduates are 64 percent less likely to crash.

So, we're just trying to give the teens more tools in their toolbox to pull from on a Friday or Saturday night and just get them home in one piece.

STEPHANIE: Distracted driving is tackled in this unique exercise, designed to be ridiculously exaggerated so the teens don't forget its important lesson.

INSTRUCTOR: Right there is where I want you to stop, now you're going to do that between 5 and 10 miles an hour, right?

I want you to hold this, and I want you to read it to us out loud as we're doing that.

And I have these balls, and you and I are going to play catch while we are doing all that.

STEPHANIE: The goal?

Don't knock down any cones.

The lesson?

Tell distracting friends to stop it and if they ignore you, pull over.

Another important part of the program is teaching teens to safely share the road with trucks like this one.

I want you to take a look at this.

This scenario could be a potential problem and here's why.

MATT: We never want to hover right over the front end of that truck because he won't be able to stop as fast as your car can stop.

STEPHANIE: The teens also learned if they can't make eye contact with the truck driver in his mirror then they're in the truck's blind spot, a dangerous place to be.

And on this course, the teens find out what they should do, if they drop a wheel off the edge of the road.

GARRETT BURRIS: You come here and you learn, you know, how to drive really well, and it's a great time.

STEPHANIE: Ultimately, teaching teens things they probably didn't learn from a typical driver's ed program or mom and dad.

MATT: I find that some of the teens today aren't as excited about cars, so it gets them excited about driving.

It's a... it's a path to freedom, and when you see that little light bulb go off in their head and they get it, and then later on you read stories and...and get phone calls from the parents that tell us their teen has done something with the training to save them, and they always say "I remember that instructor's voice in my head and it worked," and that makes us feel good.

That's why we keep coming back.

INSTRUCTOR: Alright, don't hit her.

What're you doing?

Uhh!

JOHN: First impressions do matter, and that's why we bring you along for every QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Acura has recently expanded their SUV portfolio with the 2025 ADX, their first subcompact utility.

Going smaller to get bigger is a bit of an oxymoron, but one we can get behind.

And we did, in fact, during some drivetime in San Diego, California.

There's no denying the ADX's Acura roots, from the distinct design language upfront: A large Diamond Pentagon grille, bookended by sharp LED lighting elements.

The rear is just as sculpted, the bottom edge defined by a duo of wide exhaust tips.

Those pipes are bolted up to a 1.5 liter turbo-4, delivering 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, with all-wheel-drive available.

As for transmission, a CVT automatic is used for both drivelines.

Now, a CVT might not be the sportiest idea, but Honda engineers have gotten the most out of this one, so the ADX is surprisingly responsive.

Any hint of tardiness is made up for by impressive vehicle dynamics.

LOGAN MCCOMBS: Driving the all new Acura ADX on the switchbacks in San Diego, California, has been an exciting experience.

And the reason it's been exciting is because of the way the vehicle handles.

The steering is not heavy, but it's tight.

It's very responsive and you feel so connected to the road.

JESSICA: A cozy cabin means you can disconnect some during your afternoon commute home thanks to plush materials in both rows.

Though, you're not totally disconnected, thanks to a 9.0 inch touchscreen and 10 inch gauge cluster.

The 2025 Acura ADX starts around $35,000, with all-wheel-drive adding an extra two grand; and you can take it up to over $40,000 with the A-Spec Advance.

We'll have more on the ADX and more QuickSpins...soon!

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: We just passed the 6,000 mile mark in our 2024 Subaru Solterra and it seems to be loving the warmer weather as much as we are.

We're back to seeing well over 200 miles of range on a full charge.

So far, we've only had a few times where we wished for more.

One quick stop at the dealer for a 5,000 mile service, which for the Solterra means just a tire rotation and multipoint inspection, one of the many benefits of driving an EV.

Another benefit is power delivery, which we normally look at through a performance lens, but since we don't really push this Solterra too often, the smoothness of these electric motors is on full display.

The response is great, but perhaps more impressive is how linearly the power is delivered.

Not to mention it's really quiet.

Most of our staff find the high-mounted fighter-jet style gauge housing another benefit of the Solterra, as it puts all the info you need in your line of sight without requiring a separate head-up display.

Another space on our long-term lot just got occupied by this Nissan Rogue Rock Creek.

We'll have reports on this rugged-looking compact utility rolling your way soon.

But first, info on our Honda Accord sedan and Kia Carnival Hybrid minivan on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: The CX-50 debuted for 2023 not as a replacement for Mazda's CX-5 small crossover, but as a more deluxe option to be sold right alongside it.

Well, that two-pronged approach continues today, only the CX-50 now gets a little something extra with help from an unexpected source.

♪ ♪ This is the 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, which joins the CX-90 and CX-70 as a new member of Mazda's "electrified lineup."

Now, where the 70 and 90 are both plug-in hybrids, the CX-50 is more of your traditional hybrid, Mazda arriving here with some help from hybrid pioneer and partner Toyota.

It's a familiar story, as Mazda's first small crossover, the Tribute, shared its hybrid powertrain with former partner Ford's Escape.

The CX-50 is built in the same Alabama plant as the Toyota Corolla Cross, but rather than using its hybrid system, the CX-50 actually uses the larger RAV4 setup with a 2.5 liter I4 engine and a combined output of 219 horsepower.

Though, probably for cost reasons the CX-50 stores energy in a nickel-metal hydride battery instead of a lithium-ion battery as in the RAV4.

Like, all CX-50s, all-wheel- drive remains standard, though here it's electric motor only for the rear wheels along with an e-CVT.

Not much else changes from the rest of the CX-50 lineup, but the Hybrid does come with a slightly reshaped lower front bumper and unique wheel designs.

Mazda was able to do some fine-tuning to the hybrid setup, so the experience is not exactly like driving a RAV4.

That includes throttle response, which is a little more immediate, and unique drive modes.

The RAV's Sport mode is missing, but we think that's actually the default setting for the CX-50.

Of course, the CX-50's chassis is a willing companion no matter what's working away under the hood, and clever packaging everything under the rear cargo floor keeps cargo capacity mostly intact.

Rear storage space falls only slightly from 31.4 to 29.2 cubic-feet, yet rear seat folded max capacity is somehow exactly the same at 56.3 cubic-feet.

Working our way forward through the five-passenger cabin, the rear seat room is good, and seats are comfortable, while front seats are equally cozy with a great driving position and the typical Mazda sporty feel.

Hybrid availability starts midway up the CX-50 trim ladder at Preferred, which comes with a 10 inch infotainment display and leather seating.

Premium plus adds ventilated front seats and a head-up display.

At the test track, the CX-50 proved pretty quick off the line, taking 7.6 seconds to get 60, which is only a tad slower than the 7.2 seconds we saw in the CX-50 Turbo.

Power delivery stayed consistent down the track, but it's not exactly thrilling, as it is mired with a eCVT which seems to run afoul of everything Mazda stands for.

We're not particularly fans either with consistently high engine noise throughout the quarter-mile which we finished in 15.8 seconds at 89 miles per hour.

Brakes, however, were strong and consistent, stopping in 110 feet from 60 miles per hour.

There's not a lot of weight gain here compared to the Turbo, though it feels like it with slightly less urgency to turn in.

And the Hybrid's skinnier tires also worked against it when it came to grip level through the cones.

Overall though, it remains solid-feeling and quite capable, and we say all of that just to note the differences, none of which are really a deal breaker, if you're looking for a more efficient CX-50.

And if you're not, stick with the Turbo.

Regarding that efficiency, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 39 city, 37 highway, and 38 combined.

We averaged a good 37.8 miles per gallon of Regular, which is almost 50 percent higher than the CX-50 Turbo we had as part of our long-term fleet last year.

All making for a much better than average Energy Impact Score using 7.8 Barrels of Oil Yearly with 3.9 Tons of CO2 Emissions.

Pricing starts at $35,390 for Preferred; top Premium Plus comes in at $41,470.

Currently, Mazda is taking a wait and see approach when it comes to full EVs, having discontinued their MX-30 EV two years ago.

But they continue to spread electrification throughout their existing lineup, which, as we've been saying for years, is a much better approach.

The 2025 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is not necessarily a better CX-50 for all, as driving enthusiasts will still prefer the Turbo setup.

But, it is a much more efficient way to go, one that sacrifices very little of the Mazda driving experience while delivering over 500 miles on a tank of gas.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you'll join us next time when we take the helm of Nissan's all-new Armada, then we'll peace out in the Volkswagen ID.

Buzz.

Audra Fordin shares tips and tricks on keeping our valuables safe, and we're back on the road with more QuickSpins!

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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We stock over one million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

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