Kia has revealed UK pricing and specifications for the EV5, a fully-electric family SUV offering space for five, a 329-mile range and copious levels of practicality and storage space.

The car sits alongside Kia’s best-seller, the Sportage, further electrifying the UK’s most popular and fiercely competitive C-SUV vehicle segment. The new model means Kia now offers family SUVs with fully electric, plug-in hybrid, hybrid and pure internal combustion powertrains, maximising customer choice.

As with the EV3, EV4, EV6 and EV9, the Kia EV5 is offered in three generously equipped trim levels called Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S, each of which comes with a wide variety of features, Kia aims to keep the buying process as simple and understandable as possible.

All variants of EV5 are offered with the same 81.4kWh battery pack as the EV3 and EV4. On the EV5, this enables a range of up to 329 miles on a single charge (WLTP ‘combined’ cycle).

The car is driven by a single electric motor delivering 214bhp and 295Nm torque through the front wheels. This allows the EV5 to accelerate from 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 102mph.

And charging is simple with a 10 to 80 per cent boost in just 30 minutes when plugged into a 150kW DC fast charger, and in just 7 hours, 20 minutes on an 11kW AC charger (10-to-100 per cent).

Although a family SUV with space for five, Kia’s designers have made a specific focus on aerodynamic efficiency. On the move, Active Air Flaps in the front bumper open and close automatically to optimise cooling efficiency and maximise aerodynamic performance. The EV5 also features a full body undercover, as well as wheel strakes and deflectors, to aid airflow.

The vehicle is 1,875mm wide, 4,610mm long, 1,675mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2,750mm. The boot can swallow 566 litres of kit, extending to 1,650 litres with the second row folded. For charging cable storage, the EV5 also has a 44-litre under-bonnet cargo compartment  otherwise known as a ‘frunk’.

The EV5 includes Kia’s new connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), integrated into the dual 12.3-inch display and infotainment screens. This allows for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a range of on-demand features, and a smooth and refined user experience. The EV5’s displays also integrate an additional 5.3-inch climate control touchscreen, accompanied by physical rocker switches on the centre fascia to quickly control heating and ventilation.

The EV5 is one of the first Kia vehicles to feature the brand’s AI Assistant, powered by ChatGPT. First rolled out to EV3 models, customers can use the AI chat assistant to interact with and control the vehicle’s features directly and intuitively. Activated by saying “Hey Kia”, the AI assistant can support travel planning, suggest stop-off points and POI information, and answer FAQs regarding the owner’s manual. It can also provide entertainment, such as music recommendations, voice games, jokes and trivia questions.

The EV5 range starts from £39,295 for the Air grade, £42,595 for the GT-Line specification and £47,095 for the GT-Line S. The order books are now open and first customer deliveries due to start later this year.