Can Kia’s first electric hatchback, and its first full EV to be manufactured in Europe, excel in a first drive with our tester, Al Suttie?

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Kia EV4 Air

List price (BiK): £36,930 (3%)  Economy: 388 miles  Test efficiency: 312 miles

Monday

As the Kia EV4 arrived this morning, I didn’t even need to use the fingers on one hand to work out this car sits between the EV3 and EV5 in the model line-up. Yet more pleasing is that this is thoroughly modern take on the small hatchback segment, so the EV4 can be viewed as the electric take on the Ceed family. This EV4 is the hatch version rather than the fastback that’s also an option.

Tuesday

Having spent a fair bit of time in Kia’s EV models in the past couple of years, the EV4’s controls and infotainment are all familiar. The dash is clear, the infotainment quick to respond to the touch or scroll of a dial, and it’s much simpler and quicker to disable unwanted driver aids before setting off than in many rivals. Three steps and I’m done in the EV4 compared to nine swipes and prods in another car I tried recently.

Wednesday

The car I have this week is in Air trim, which means no adjustable lumbar support. Not a huge problem, but I do like it when you can tweak the driving position that little bit more for comfort. On the plus side, the EV4’s driving position is excellent and it affords the driver good vision in most directions – the sweep of the rear pillars aside. However, that is addressed by Kia’s handy camera display in the dash when the indicators are operated.

Thursday

While not quite as easy as physical rotary dials, in my view, the EV4’s strip of controls for the air conditioning are better than having to mess around with the infotainment screen. Thankfully, Air trim also comes with heated front seats, which are an absolute must in the chill of a Scottish winter. On that topic, the EV4’s battery has lasted far better than most electric cars in this sort of cold weather.

Friday

Kia has struck a happy balance with the EV4 between acceleration and conserving battery power. You won’t experience supercar-like drive off the line, but it’s plenty quick enough for a family hatch. Better yet, the EV4 handles with confidence and the ride is one of the car’s stand-out features – it’s supple and composed, helped along by the 17-inch wheels fitted to the Air trim. Only a little wind noise at motorway speeds stands as a small demerit.

Saturday

Topping up the battery’s charge this morning while my son plays football, the EV4 has no trouble getting up to 80% in short order at one of the quicker local chargers. It ain’t cheap, but the convenience is the pay-off. At 80%, the dash shows a range of 256 miles to empty and that correlates very closely with the miles the EV4 delivers in normal driving.

Sunday

The Kia EV4 is an eminently likeable family car that’s ideal for many fleet drivers. It’s roomy, comfortable, well put together, drives with great competence and has decent range. It might not set your pulse racing, but it’s the sort of car that just slots into your daily routine and soon becomes a trusted sidekick for getting on with your day. In my book, that counts for a lot.