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2025 Kia K4 LXS Yearlong Review: Why Does a $25,000 Car Need a $275 Oil Change?
Key takeaways
- Turns out the hardest part of budget motoring may be keeping the dealer’s hand out of your pocket.
- We wanted to see what budget motoring looked like in 2026.
- At the moment, it’s not looking very good, because we just paid $275 for a service that amounts to little more than an oil change and a tire rotation.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
Turns out the hardest part of budget motoring may be keeping the dealer’s hand out of your pocket.
Inflation and astronomic fuel prices have all but the wealthiest Americans feeling the financial squeeze, which is why we added a Kia K4 to our long-term fleet—not one of the high-end models the automakers prefer we drive, but the sub-$25,000, one-up-from-the-base-model K4 LXS. We wanted to see what budget motoring looked like in 2026.
At the moment, it’s not looking very good, because we just paid $275 for a service that amounts to little more than an oil change and a tire rotation.
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