Kia EV5 Review & Prices

It’s possibly a bit lazy to describe Kia’s new EV5 electric SUV as ‘an electric Sportage’ but… just look at it! It’s roughly the same size as a Sportage, has a very similar interior, is about as roomy, and has a big battery under the floor. It’s not actually directly related to the Sportage — underneath is an all-electric platform — but c’mon, they’re basically twins.

Okay, so maybe not exactly twins – perhaps they’re more like long lost siblings. The EV5 gets styling that is closer to that of the massive EV9 and the dinky EV3 than it is to the Sportage. The big LED lights sweep backwards into the wheelarches before flinging forward and around the leading edge of the bonnet in a slim light bar, very much like those of the recently-updated Kia EV6.

Inside, the EV5 is very similar to the EV3, just bigger. You get the same steering wheel with its chunky centre section and tactile physical buttons, and the same twin-screen layout that sweeps behind the wheel and across half the dashboard with two 12.3-inch screens.

Kia EV5: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 314-330 miles
Efficiency: 3.6mi/kWh
Battery size: 81.2kWh
Max charge speed: 150kW
Charge time AC: 7hrs 20mins, 10-100%, 2.8kW
Charge time DC: 30mins 10-80%, 150kW
Charge port location: Right front
Power outputs: 214hp

Thankfully, Kia is one of those car makers which recognises the fact that physical buttons are easier to use than touchscreens, so there are separate controls for heating and air conditioning, and some neat short-cut buttons that sit flush with the surface of the dash. The big screens are clear and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard-fit.

If the EV3 is anything to go by, the interior should be hard-wearing, so it’ll survive family life, but there’s a sheen of plush quality too, although probably not quite as much as you’ll find in the bigger, pricier EV9.

The boot is very big, at 566 litres being only slightly smaller than that of the massive Skoda Enyaq, and the neat back seat folding mechanism means that they lie completely flat when you need them to, opening up 1,650 litres of cavernous cargo room. There’s also a handy 44-litre front boot storage area in the nose for stashing your charging cables.

The EV5 comes with just the one battery pack choice — an 81kWh unit that promises up to 329 miles of range, which is bang on the average among alternatives, although not exceptional.

It won’t charge at the exceptionally fast speeds of the EV9 or EV6 though, and is limited to 150kW of DC charging power. That’s similar to most alternatives and allows a 10-80% charge in 30 minutes. You don’t get a standard heat pump for the air conditioning, though, which means that very hot or very cold weather will impact the driving range.

As standard, there’s a single front-mounted electric motor with 214hp which gives you a decent 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds, but there are all-wheel drive and sporty GT models coming soon.

If you can’t wait for us to get behind the wheel for a full verdict, you can check out the latest Kia EV5 deals available through Carwow as well as EV5 lease deals, too. You can also browse used Kias from our network of trusted dealers, and when it’s time to sell your current car, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Kia EV5 is actually quite pricey, and only the most basic version dips under the £40,000 barrier, above which you’ll have to pay extra vehicle excise duty road tax in years two-to-six.

It’s also notably more expensive than a Volkswagen ID4, which has a much lower range between charges in its most basic form, but which can match — even beat — the Kia’s range for less money, not least because some ID4 models qualify for the government’s electric car grant of £1,500.

A Skoda Enyaq is closer in price to the EV5, although it’s a couple of hundred pounds cheaper in basic form. Xpeng’s high-tech G6 also costs about the same as the EV5, although it manages a little less range on one charge. The joker in the marketplace is the excellent Renault Scenic, which can offer as much as 380 miles of range, and a very roomy cabin, for around £4,000 less.