If first impressions of the Kia EV5 are a touch underwhelming, it’s only because of the lofty expectations set by its predecessors.
This is a well-designed and well-rounded electric mid-size SUV with a good range that is competitively priced, decently equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. It should be near the front of an increasingly competitive class. It just doesn’t really change the game.
It was only four years ago that the EV6 SUV-coupé helped transform what Kia seemed capable of in design and technology. Since then, the large EV9 and small EV3 SUVs and the EV4 hatchback/saloon have all in their own ways pushed new boundaries. Heck, even the new Kia PV5 van is a bit of a game-changer.
The EV5, however, is exactly what you would expect it to be. Thing is, it’s not here to be revolutionary: it’s here so that Kia can sell loads of them.
The reason Kia has waited until now to launch it is so it can refine its EV technology in less critical classes. But the EV5 is the electric equivalent of the Sportage, the Korean brand’s biggest seller and the UK’s top-selling family SUV.
Kia EV5 review
Kia’s latest eye-catching EV isn’t radical but should be a strong contender in a competitive class
Published:
13 October 2025
- Introduction
- Design & styling
- Interior
- Engines & performance
- Ride & handling
- MPG & running costs
- Verdict
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- Introduction
- Design & styling
- Interior
- Engines & performance
- Ride & handling
- MPG & running costs
- Verdict
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If first impressions of the Kia EV5 are a touch underwhelming, it’s only because of the lofty expectations set by its predecessors.
This is a well-designed and well-rounded electric mid-size SUV with a good range that is competitively priced, decently equipped, comfortable and decent to drive. It should be near the front of an increasingly competitive class. It just doesn’t really change the game.
It was only four years ago that the EV6 SUV-coupé helped transform what Kia seemed capable of in design and technology. Since then, the large EV9 and small EV3 SUVs and the EV4 hatchback/saloon have all in their own ways pushed new boundaries. Heck, even the new Kia PV5 van is a bit of a game-changer.
The EV5, however, is exactly what you would expect it to be. Thing is, it’s not here to be revolutionary: it’s here so that Kia can sell loads of them.
The reason Kia has waited until now to launch it is so it can refine its EV technology in less critical classes. But the EV5 is the electric equivalent of the Sportage, the Korean brand’s biggest seller and the UK’s top-selling family SUV.
So while early estimates are modest (Kia UK expects to sell around 6000 EV5s next year, far below the 47,163 Sportages it shifted in 2024), this is a key model for growing EV sales in the future.
Verdict
Model tested:
Rating:
Kia EV5
The closest thing you can get to a Sportage with an electric motor. Offers pliant, amiable emission-free transport with few surprises.
Good
Good value for money and competitive against EV rivals
Practical for family use, with lots of space and storage
Takes what’s good about the Sportage and adds electric power
Bad
It’s not the most dynamic machine to drive
Not the dramatic step forward you might have expected
DESIGN & STYLING
Pros
Hyundai Motor Group’s proven E-GMP platform is a good base
Neat and practical design creating plenty of space
Doesn’t just try to copy the Sportage
Cons
No 800V architecture means it can’t charge as fast as the EV6
Styling is a little too similar to the EV3 and EV9 to make it distinctive
There’s already a sense of familiarity about the EV5: it was revealed back in May 2023 and has been on sale, albeit with di fferent technology and batteries, in China and various other countries in the Asia-Pacific region for the past two years.
The design builds o n both the EV3 and EV9, and while it gets a new treatment of Kia’s ‘Tiger Face’ grille and narrow LED headlights, there is a sense of ‘nesting doll’ overfamiliarity working its way in. If you park it next to its smaller and larger siblings, you can spot the differences, but there’s a definite family resemblance there.
The EV5 gets 18in or 19in wheels, depending on trim level, with exclusive alloy designs.
That’s not a bad thing, because it’s still a nice design that mixes classic SUV cues with some sharp edges; it’s just that what was radical just a few years ago now seems a bit safe.
At just over 4.6 metres long, the EV5 is firmly in family SUV territory, being almost identical in its dimensions to the Sportage, although its EV platform means its wheelbase is slightly longer, so there’s more room inside. If you like to know such things, it’s 1675mm high and 1875mm wide.
The EV5 used the same E-GMP architecture that underpins the EV3 and EV4, so it gets MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link rear. There’s an 81.4kWh battery and it will be launched with a front-mounted motor producing 214bhp and 218lb of torque. More potent dual-motor AWD and GT models will follow.
Since the electrical system runs at 400V, the battery can be rapid charged at speeds of 150kW, which is slowe than the slightly bigger EV6, which uses the more advanced 800V E-GMP platform.
Kia has yet to certify the range but is expecting 329 miles on a charge, which would be competitive.
INTERIOR
Pros
Good mix of digital screens and physical controls
Plenty of space in front and rear, and lots of storage
Fold-flat seats make it easy to fit bigger loads in
Cons
Frunk is smaller than some rivals offer
Everything is well done but it doesn’t feel as distinctive as it could be
Inside, the EV5 sticks close to its siblings. That’s no bad thing: you get the big combo of driver display and infotainment screens and a mix of physical and haptic buttons for various key functions, such as the climate control and multimedia.
The screen set up features two 12.3in screens – a driver info display and the infotainment touchscreen – split by a 5.3in unit that features the heating and ventilation controls.
A new mode will maintain the optimum interior temperature for a “comfortably, pet-friendly environment” while you’ve nipped out. Your dog will thank you for it.
The software generally works well and is intuitive. A row of switches below the screen give physical controls for changing the temperature or fan speed.
The materials feel plush without being posh and there are plenty of storage bins to suit family life. Lots of the materials feature recycled or eco-friendly elements, and there’s even a QR code on the dash that points to a website telling you all about them.
The driving position is perched and upright even by SUV standards but gives a good view of the road. Sadly Kia has traded the bench seat of Chinese EV5s for more conventional front seats, but that does create space for a chunky centre console with a wireless phone charger, cupholders and other goodies.
There’s a decent amount of room in the back as well, and rear passengers get their own climate controls.
The rear seats fold totally flat to expand the boot capacity from 550 to 1650 litres. The Sportage’s boot is bigger, but the EV5 does also have a 44-litre frunk.
ENGINES & PERFORMANCE
Pros
Decent real-world performance
Electric motor is smooth, refined and quiet
Cons
Not as rapid of accelerative as some rivals – not that it really matters
The EV5 is thoroughly pleasant to drive. Its powertrain is responsive and gets up to speed quickly, helped by all that instantly accessible electric torque, and it handles its 2092kg kerb weight well. The official 0-62mph time is 8.4sec and the EV5 will top out at 104mph.
Kia’s electric motors deliver their power smoothly and effortlessly, and even thought it lacks the potency of some twin-motor models, the EV5’s set-up offers everything you need in the real world. It cruises well at motorway speed and the motor is hushed and quiet, making it a relaxing place to spend time.
The latest version of Kia’s i-Pedal system features four levels of regenerative braking and a selectable one-pedal mode. We always like the extra control that having regen paddles offer, which boosts efficiency and adds an extra note of engagement to the driving experience.
RIDE & HANDLING
Pros
Settled and pliant ride
Steering isn’t dynamic but is consistent and inspires confidence
Relaxing and pleasant to drive
Cons
Lacks a level of true driver engagement
We still need to sample the ride on UK roads
The powertrain’s refinement is also re flected in the handling, albeit with the caveat that our test car was running on traditionally softer Korean suspension, so even though the roads on our test route were reasonably similar to some you’d find in the UK, we want to try it on home ground before offering a definitive verdict.
The steering has enough weight to give confidence at speed, but it’s still easy to navigate tight environs. Try to chuck it into corners and you won’t find much in the way of dynamic reward, but it’s always settled and secure.
There are a range of drive modes, and while Sport adds some dynamism, you will probably spend most of your time in Eco. There’s even a Snow mode.
Our test car was specified in the Korean equivalent of mid-level GT-Line trim; entry-level Air and higher-grade GT-Line S versions will be offered too. Entry-level Air models ride on 18in wheels while GT-Line models sit on 19in versions. Still, the larger tyres didn’t detract from the ride much.
In general the EV5 rides well, feeling settled and cushioned, which will surely be more important to buyers. This is a thoroughly pleasant car and feels like it will compare well to the likes of the Volkswagen ID 4, and we reckon passengers in the back will feel significantly less jostled than they would in a Tesla Model Y.
MPG & RUNNING COSTS
Pros
Competitive range and strong efficiency
Undercuts key rivals on price
Decent level of standard kit
Cons
Range and efficiency figures yet to be confirmed
Charging speed could be better
The EV5 has yet to undergo an official WLTP test, so we can’t give official numbers for its range or efficiency. That said, I was comfortably into the mid-4mpkWh range on a mixed test route in South Korea, which is a decent achievement for this types of car and sugges the claimed 329-mile range figure is achievable in the real world.
While exact UK pricing hasn’t been finalised, entry-level Air models will start from £39,295, with top-spec GT-Line S models reaching £47,095. That’s a chunk of money more than a Sportage but competitive against rivals such as the Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq and Peugeot e-3008, even if it is slightly undercut by that new electric SUV from the latest weirdly named Chinese brand you had never heard of that launched in the UK last week.
An efficiency-boosting heat pump is a £900 option or standard on range-topping GT-Line S trim.
Entry-level Air models are well-equipped with a raft of driver assistance features. Stepping up to GT-Line adds sporty styling details inside and out, while GT-Line S models will feature remote smart parking, a blindspot monitor and a heat pump.
White Pearl is the standard paint colour, with the other premium options adding £650. Kia also offers the EV5 with its seven-year warranty, with eight years of cover for the battery pack and motor.
VERDICT
Verdict
Model tested:
Rating:
Kia EV5
The closest thing you can get to a Sportage with an electric motor. Offers pliant, amiable emission-free transport with few surprises.
Good
Good value for money and competitive against EV rivals
Practical for family use, with lots of space and storage
Takes what’s good about the Sportage and adds electric power
Bad
It’s not the most dynamic machine to drive
Not the dramatic step forward you might have expected
The EV5 doesn’t really change the game in the way some of its siblings did when they launched just a few years back, but, as noted, that really reflects how quickly the prospect of an electric Kia competing for the class lead has gone from novelty to feeling entirely normal.
And don’t let the fact it doesn’t transform class expectations detract from the EV5’s many strengths. While it lacks a really compelling aspect that makes it stand out against rivals, it should be at the sharp end of the electric SUV market. It drives pretty blamelessly, looks fairly distinctive, has a practical interior and contains tech that’s easy to understand. Really, it’s hard to seriously knock.
If that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s exactly what we wrote about the latest Sportage recently. Which is, you suspect, exactly what Kia was hoping for.
