How to enable the hands-free Smart Trunk in a Kia EV4
Smart Trunk can open an equipped EV4 when it detects the smart key behind the car. A charging connection or an unlocked door can prevent the documented sequence from starting.
Checked against the MY2027 English owner manual for this model on 27 October 2026. Equipment and software can differ; use the instructions and controls fitted to your own vehicle.
Enable Settings > Vehicle > Door > Smart trunk. After the closed doors have been locked for at least 15 seconds, keep the smart key in the rear detection area for more than three seconds.
Before you start
Use the feature only with room for the trunk to open and keep people clear. The vehicle must not be charging; disconnect the charging connector before the documented hands-free operation.
Follow these steps
Tick steps as you go. Your progress stays in this tab.
Check the result
The manual gives a rear detection distance of approximately 50–100 cm. Continuous key detection immediately after locking can prevent operation, so do not use that situation as a test of a settled, locked vehicle.
Common questions
Will it operate while the car is charging?+
No. Charging is listed as a non-operating condition.
Can the smart key remain inside the car?+
No. A key inside the vehicle prevents this Smart Trunk sequence.
SOURCES & SCOPE
Where this guide comes from
Written from the official references below. Reviewed on 27 October 2026. This is a source-based guide, not a claim of hands-on vehicle testing.
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