In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the K4 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.
With its standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, the Kia K4 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Audi A3, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
K4 |
A3 |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-11 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-11 MPH |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-21 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
-16 MPH |
-11 MPH |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-4 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-8 MPH |
37 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-14 MPH |
Warning Issued-Brights |
1.9 sec |
1.5 sec |
37 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-1 MPH |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
1.5 sec |
.3 sec |
In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Kia K4 achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Audi A3 has not been tested.
The K4 GT-Line Turbo offers an optional Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The A3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
The K4’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the K4 and the A3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.
The Kia K4 (Built after January 2025) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The A3 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.