Kia EV5 Review & Prices

Kia has a knack for making practical, sensible family SUVs such as the venerable Sportage and Sorento. The EV5 follows on from the dinky EV3 and the gargantuan EV9 as an all-electric offering with lots of interior space, but it’s really rather boring.

It really is like the middle child of the Kia EV SUV range; not quite as lovable as the smaller model while not being as accomplished as the bigger, older sibling. It doesn’t help that it’s part of a particularly impressive fray with the Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq, Renault Scenic and Hyundai Ioniq 5 all earning top marks.

If the EV5 has one thing going for it above all else, it’s the styling. It appears big and imposing thanks to its boxy, upright silhouette, slender, futuristic headlights, boxy wheel arches and wide-set taillight bar. The EV6 may have kicked off Kia’s quirky styling direction, but the EV5 is the most convincing effort yet.

Step inside for more quirkiness, yet at the same time the EV5’s interior is actually very traditional. Where the Tesla Model Y and Xpeng G6 are pretty much all-screen, the Kia has a - wait for it - proper dashboard with climate control switches, shortcut buttons and manually-adjustable air vents. In 2026, who would have thought?

Kia EV5: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 313-329 miles
Efficiency: 3.6mi/kWh
Battery size: 81.2kWh
Max charge speed: 127kW
Charge time AC: 7hrs 20mins, 10-100%, 2.8kW
Charge time DC: 30mins 10-80%, 127kW
Charge port location: Right front
Power outputs: 214hp

It's a shame the plastics are all a little drab in a bleak shade of grey, but the crisp infotainment and driver display graphics add a bit of spice, as do the creases along the dash. Interior space is most impressive, as is front storage with lots of cubbies, a big glovebox and deep door bins.

The back seats are comfortable; reclining and offering lots of leg and head space - even for the tallest and leggiest of adults. You won’t find as much storage as in the front, but the 566-litre boot means there’s plenty of cargo space, as does the 44-litre front boot.

That’s still nothing compared to the Tesla Model Y’s 854 litres of boot (and 117 litres of front boot) space, but the Kia has a much more usable storage shape thanks to its tall roofline.

All EV5 models come with an 81.4kWh battery under the floor and front-wheel drive, with range varying from 329 miles to 313 miles - depending on trim. A Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5 can travel further between charges.

It’s a mixed bag to drive around town, because there’s no denying that the EV5 is a big, bulky car to manoeuvre around tight streets. Fortunately the flat bonnet with relatively square corners helps when judging its width, but it’s not as comfortable as the aforementioned Enyaq on bumpy roads.

The EV5 settles into a more comfortable cruise on the motorway thanks to its refined cabin, but it’s a little roly-poly and bouncy on a twisty country lane.

Verdict

Kia has been on a hot streak with its EV range, but the EV5 isn’t quite as game-changing as its other efforts. It’s a solid all-rounder, but it’s a bit dull. A Renault Scenic is more stylish, a Tesla Model Y is more practical and a Skoda Enyaq is more comfortable.

Overall, though, this feels like an admirable evolution for anyone who’s lived with and loved a Kia Sportage, and is looking for the natural next step into EV ownership. If you’re interested, check out the latest Kia EV5 deals on Carwow, or EV5 lease deals for a great monthly price. You can also browse used EV5s as well as other used Kias from our network of trusted dealers. You can sell your car through Carwow, too.

Starting at just under £40,000, the EV5 range is kicked off by the Air trim level. It offers the most range at 329 miles, while the GT-Line and GT-Line S come with more aggressive bumpers and more features, at around £42,500 and £47,000 respectively.

That puts it roughly in line with the Skoda Enyaq, Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5, but you’ll pay a good chunk less for a Renault Scenic or Nissan Ariya.

An EV5 Air comes as standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, privacy rear glass and a heated steering wheel, while a GT-Line features the aforementioned sporty body kit, two-tone leatherette interior and a power tailgate.

The top-spec GT-Line S gets posher front seats with extra adjustment, Harman Kardon audio, parking sensors all-round and a tilt-and-slide glass sunroof.

Smooth and comfortable, but the EV5 can get a bit bouncy on a B-road

In town

The Kia EV5 feels like a big car in town, so it’s good news that visibility is good all around, though we preferred switching it to ‘eco’ mode via the wheel-mounted drive mode button, which made the accelerator a little less sensitive and allowed for smoother progress.

It deals with bumps really well, so whether you’re navigating broken roads, large potholes or aggressive speed bumps, you never have to worry about thuds and crashes transmitting through the cabin.

You get front and rear parking sensors as standard, as well as a reversing camera, which makes navigating tight parking spaces that bit easier.

On the motorway

At higher speeds the Kia EV5 continues to be quiet, refined and comfortable over bumps. It’s a shame the range isn’t better, then – if you do a lot of motorway miles you’ll probably find you spend less time recharging in a Scenic or Model Y.

However, take fast charging times out of the equation and the EV5 is up there with the most relaxing family SUVs on the motorway. On top of this, the standard-fit adaptive cruise control is really nice to have, and the lane-keeping assistance aids are unobtrusive until you actually need them.

On a twisty road

Twisty roads are easily the EV5’s weak point, but then it is a family friendly SUV so it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. The steering is nicely judged, so it’s not so light that you’re constantly adjusting your line, and there’s a ‘sport’ mode that makes the throttle feel more urgent when you accelerate. It’s just not much fun.

The main complaint on a bumpy B-road, though, is the suspension. Where it soaks up sharper bumps nicely around town, on a country road at higher speeds it has a tendency to bounce you around a bit. Even as the driver there were a couple of times where we felt a bit queasy, so it’s likely it’ll be even worse for passengers.

The boot is usefully large and there’s loads of rear seat space, but the person sitting in the middle will be uncomfortable

There’s good space up front, and the seat can be lifted up high to give a commanding view of the road ahead. The steering wheel doesn’t come towards you particularly far though, so taller drivers might find their driving position compromised.

Storage is excellent, though. There’s a huge tray low down between the front seats, a deep space under the armrest, and a large tray ahead of that with two retractable cup holders and a wireless charging pad on all but entry-level models. The door bins can take a bottle of fizzy drink and the glovebox is pretty big, too.

Space in the back seats

Again, there’s loads of space in the back, with acres of legroom and headroom. Unlike many electric cars the floor isn’t too close to the seat cushion, so you get good under-thigh support, which is good for long journeys. The rear seats recline, too, so you can get really comfortable.

Storage isn’t quite as impressive as up front, because although there’s a neat hidden cubby hole that pulls out from between the front seats, the door bins are tiny. It’s also quite tight for three, and the middle seat is hard and perched high, so friends and family will feel like they’ve pulled the short straw if they have to sit here.

All that legroom also means you’ll have no trouble fitting a bulky child seat, and the ISOFIX mounting points poke out from between the cushions so they’re really easy to access.

Boot space

The boot is big and spacious, with its 566-litre capacity putting it around the middle of the pack among alternatives. You get 520 litres in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Peugeot E-3008, while the Skoda Enyaq has 585 litres and the Tesla Model Y 854 litres.

The space is big and square so easy to make the most of, and you even get a three-pin plug socket. There are hooks to hang bags off and useful underfloor storage for your charging cables. The only complaint is that you have to go round to the back door to fold the rear seats, but at least once you do you get a nice flat floor to push heavy items across.

The infotainment system is ultra-fast and easy to use, but the climate display being blocked by the steering wheel is really annoying

It feels a bit mean to complain about the Kia EV5’s lack of interior pizazz, because it’s a genuinely lovely place to spend your time. The seats are comfortable and everything around you feels solid, with high quality materials on the things you touch. It’s just a bit grey and bland.

The bank of screens atop the dashboard are thoroughly modern, with clear graphics and ultra-fast responses to your inputs. You get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, too.

There’s a welcome touch of old school with the chunky climate switches below the screen, which make it easy to change the temperature on the move. Though it is odd that the climate settings screen is hidden behind the wheel, so you need to peer round to see what the temperature is.

GT-Line and above come with a wireless phone charging pad next to the centre armrest, and there are USB-C slots lower down in the dashboard.

Entry-level Air cars come with manual seat adjustment and cloth upholstery, but if you step up to the GT-Line trim the cloth is swapped for artificial leather. Top-spec GT-Line S cars also get a Harmon Kardon sound system, which is a great upgrade for music fans.

The Kia EV5 has the same 81.4kWh battery whichever trim you go for, but in the Air it promises up to 329 miles, while GT-Line and GT-Line S cars get a range of 313 miles on account of the extra on-board kit.

That compares quite well with alternatives, because for the same £40,000 starting price in the Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5 you’ll go sub-300 miles. However, it doesn’t take much to find cars with better range for similar cash. The Enyaq goes 359 miles from about £42k and the Ioniq 5 goes 354 miles for £44k, while the Renault Scenic has a whopping 381 miles of range for just £37k.

Charging speeds are about average, but not up there with the best, either. You’ll get from 10-80% in half an hour, which is a bit slower than the Enyaq and Tesla Model Y, but smashed by the 18-minute charge time of the Ioniq 5.

The Kia EV5 benefits from the lowest first-year road tax rates, and electric cars are the cheapest way to run a company car, too.

Kia EV5 Euro NCAP (2025): 5/5

Adult occupant: 83%
Child occupant: 85%
Vulnerable road users: 74%
Safety assist: 80%

The Kia EV5 scored full marks in Euro NCAP safety testing, with particularly high scores of 83% and 85% for adult and child occupant protection respectively.

You get plenty of assistance kit as standard, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring, and a safe exit warning. Top-spec models add a blind-spot camera, 360-degree parking cameras, and remote parking.

The Kia EV5 is a brand-new model, so we’ll have to wait and see how reliable it is. There have been no concerns about the EV9 and EV3, though, which have been on sale a while now.

Kia finished 18th out of 31 manufacturers in the Driver Power ownership survey, which isn’t a fantastic showing, though it should be reassuring that you get an excellent seven-year/100,00-mile warranty.