Kia

EV5

The Kia EV5 is a fully electric mid-size SUV that offers an impressive range and is competitively priced. With  a wide choice of generously-equipped trims, it oozes charm and delivers on the performance front too.

Test Drive

There’s no questioning the fact that Kia is on a red-hot streak right with every new model launched by the Korean carmaker’s design studio bang on the money.

The days of cheap and cheerful are a thing of the past with Kia now respected as an excellent company that produces vehicles that look sharp, are solid and reliable in their build quality, boast top quality technology, drive well and still undercut most rivals when it comes to pricing.

If you need further proof, then check out the raft of awards Kia has picked up for its excellent EV line-up, and now things are really hotting up with the launch of the EV5 – a mid-sized electric SUV that’s similar to the multi-award-winning, best-selling Sportage model.

First impressions are vital and the EV5 looks similar to a scaled-down EV9 with a bold, boxy design that gives the car a very strong road presence. The squared-off styling does have a little bit of a Marmite effect for onlookers, but we like it, and it does result in a more practical cabin with plenty of space for the family and any luggage requirements.

There are trim levels called Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S and all cars are front-wheel drive for now. An all-wheel drive version will be introduced a little later down the line, along with a sportier GT version.

Design-wise, the five-door EV5 features strong muscular lines, distinctive front light clusters, rugged bumpers, squared-off wings, sculpted wheel arches, vertical rear lights, a wide tailgate and 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.

The interior, like other Kia EVs, is clutter-free, modern, elegant and neatly styled with three infotainment screens merged seamlessly behind a curved panel. The left is where all the entertainment features are located, the right clearly displays all the vital driving data such as speed and range, while the middle screen offers access to the climate control settings.

The EV5 is powered by a long-range 81.4kWh battery offering up to 329 miles of range between charges and prices start from £39,345. We tested the high-end EV5 GT-Line S model, costing £47,145 on a mixed route in pretty dire driving conditions on the tail-end of a storm, so wet, windy and pretty miserable then.

Creature comforts are plentiful and, on our range-topper, included an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a reversing camera, Bluetooth, DAB radio and sat nav. The seats were upholstered in two-tone artificial leather and they were powered, heated or ventilated, and the driver could even activate a massage function.

There is a nice mix of physical and touchscreen controls to navigate the various features, as well as the AI personal assistant powered by ChatGPT which can assist with a number of tasks from planning routes, suggesting points of interest along the way and making recommendations about parking or dining out.

Another innovative feature is the fingerprint recognition technology. With the option to set up to two profiles, drivers can store their favourite settings, such as seat position, cabin temperature and preferred radio station. When they touch the fingerprint reader, those choices are activated – this is a great idea if a vehicle is shared between drivers.

So, back to our test drive then and no matter what Mother Nature threw at us, the EV5 was more than capable of adapting. With 214bhp and 295Nm of torque, it could reach 62mph from a standing start in 8.4 seconds and topped out at 102mph. Our car, with the larger wheels, had a range of 313 miles which is slightly less than the 329 miles offered on the EV5 Air model.

Although there are more dynamic and engaging EVs out there, few offer the complete package of this EV5 in the competitive SUV sector. The acceleration via the single-speed transmission was smooth and responsive, while the instant turn of pace helps make light work of overtaking slower-moving traffic. The steering is well-weighted with plenty of driver feedback, and the car is perfectly balanced and grounded when fizzing along twisting country lanes.

Steering wheel-mounted paddles allow the driver to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking with four settings to choose from. This is really handy in busier town centres with lots of stop, start driving and there is an i-Pedal setting that will bring the car to a complete standstill without touching the brakes at all.

Additionally, drive modes alter the dynamics of the car with Eco, Normal, Sport, My Drive and Snow options to select from. In Sport mode, the seat bolsters tighten up to give the driver added support during livelier driving.

Special mention to the EV5’s refinement levels too with barely a sound filtering into the cabin and the excellent suspension set-up doing a worthy job of smoothing out any bumps and dips along the way.

The EV5 covers practicality bases well too. It stretches 4.6 metres in length and has bundles of space for two tall adults up front and two more in the back. There is space for three passengers across the rear seats, but it is best suited to a trio of youngsters.

Storage options impress with the boot, accessed via a wide-opening, powered tailgate, able to swallow 566 litres of luggage, a capacity that increases to 1,650 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rears seats dropped flat. A further 44 litres of storage room can be found beneath the bonnet and throughout the cabin is a glovebox, door bins, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, a wireless charging pad, plus a centre console with room for 16.5 litres of goodies. There are USB ports for all occupants and back seat passengers have a handy drawer that pulls out from the central cubby bin.

Charging the 81.4kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent takes 30 minutes via a 150kW rapid charger, or 1 hour, 10 minutes if plugged into a 50kW outlet. A 10 to 100 per cent boost can be achieved in 7 hours, 20 minutes from an 11kW port.

Another handy feature of the Kia EV5 is its Vehicle-to-Load capability, meaning it can be used to power up external electronic devices, such as laptops, camping lights, air pumps or even household items in the event of a power cut.

The EV5 is packed with safety features and driver assistance aids and was awarded a maximum five stars when tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating. And its always worth reminding ourselves that Kia offers one of the best warranty packages in the industry spanning seven years or 100,000 miles, increasing to eight years for the battery.

All in all, the EV5 feels like another home run for Kia as a brand. It’s easy on the eye, simple to drive, practical, generously equipped, boasts a decent driving range and is also competitively priced. If it goes on to enjoy a fraction of the Sportage’s success, the EV5 will be a regular sight on UK roads before too long.