New Kia EV5: hands-on with Kia’s electric family SUV

The Kia EV3 is one of the most impressive electric cars we’ve driven recently – but can its success be repeated on a larger scale? This is the new Kia EV5, which doesn’t just look like a larger EV3 – it shares that car’s platform, batteries, and most of its interior, but stretches it out to make a proper family-sized SUV to go up against the Volkswagen ID4, MG S5 EV or low-end versions of the Tesla Model Y.

The EV5 has been on sale in China for a while but the European version is subtly different and will be built in South Korea – the same plant where the EV3, EV6 and EV9 are made. It’s just the latest model in Kia’s impressive ‘EVx’ range of electric cars – and given the brand has already trademarked every number from EV1 through to EV9, expect more to come.

We’ve had the chance to spend a day in the studio with a pre-production version of the EV5, so we can tell you exactly what to expect from this eye-catching new SUV.

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Kia EV5: design and styling

The EV5 almost looks like an EV3 that’s been stretched out to the same shape as the larger EV9. It’s boxy and squared-off, with neat detailing to make it look both rugged and high-tech.

The front end gets angular daytime running lights flanking low-set LED headlights – posh adaptive beam ones on higher-end models. The lights are joined by an LED strip on some models, and all cars get a bit of black trim that rises from the front wheelarches to run across above the front number plate.

Round the sides there are black wheelarch trims, trapezoidal side mirrors and hidden door handles, and a similar style on the C-pillar to the smaller EV3. The charge port is on the front right-hand wing, a somewhat awkward place for the UK as it’ll be on the wrong side when street-parking and the trailing cable could easily get in the way of opening the driver’s door.

The rear has a top-mounted windscreen wiper, squared-off C-shaped LED taillights that almost meet in the middle and a spoiler on the boot lip.

Overall the EV5 is just marginally larger than the popular Sportage SUV, putting it smack in the middle of the family SUV class.

Kia EV5: interior

Our time with the EV5 was with a pre-production model – while the structure of the interior was all as it will be for the real thing, many of the materials used were just placeholders. So we can’t tell you too much about the plastics in the cars customers will receive, except that they’re likely to be similar to those on the EV3 – high-quality in the places you touch, and cheaper where Kia can get away with saving a bit of money.

In the driver’s seat, it’s very EV3-like – you get the same trio of displays, consisting of a pair of 12.3-inch screens for driver information and infotainment. Nestled between them is a 5.3-inch screen for the climate controls, and as with the EV3 and EV9 we were unable to find a position where this wasn’t almost entirely blocked by the steering wheel.

Luckily, you do get some physical controls for the climate in the centre of the car, as well as a strip of touch-sensitive shortcut keys to take you to key functions within the infotainment system. You also get lots of clear, physical buttons on the steering wheel.

The infotainment screen can be used to stream Netflix or Disney+ at a standstill, or even play a few mobile-style games – but nothing that you won’t find more enjoyable on your smartphone. We did take some pleasure in beating the car at Connect 4, though.

The centre console has a pair of cupholders which can be hidden away, a wireless phone charger, and an under-armrest storage cubby. There’s also a big area on the floor which is great for stowing a handbag or just chucking keys and wallets into.

The rear seats have plenty of leg and headroom, even with a full-length glass roof – this writer could fit comfortably at 6’3. They can be reclined, and rear passengers get their own climate controls, USB-C charging ports, cupholders in the fold-down armrest and even a deep storage drawer in the centre console.

The boot is a great size at 566 litres – that’s bigger than a VW ID4 and almost as big as a Skoda Enyaq’s. The parcel shelf can be stowed under the floor, the rear seats go totally flat, and there are neat modular luggage hooks that adjust to help keep things tidy. There’s also a 44-litre frunk, ideal for cable storage.

New Kia EV5: range and charging

At launch there’ll be just one version of the EV5 available. It uses the same 81.4kWh battery as the EV3, with a slightly uprated motor giving it 218hp. Maximum range is a claimed 329 miles, compared with up to 375 miles in the EV3.

Charging speed is a bit slower than most alternatives – it can top up at 130kW, which is about half the speed of Kia’s own EV6. The 82kWh Volkswagen ID4 can charge at 170kW. Kia still claims a 10-80% charge time of around 30 minutes, but it’s not as lightning-quick as on its pricier electric cars.

Specs are still to be finalised but Kia says it’s anticipating a pretty ordinary 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds. The EV5 is front-wheel drive only.

An all-wheel drive model, as well as a hot EV5 GT, are understood to be in the planning stage.

Kia EV5: pricing and specs

UK specs are still being worked out, and exact pricing hasn’t been announced yet either. However Kia says the new EV5 will start at just over £38,000, with the range-topping model coming in just below £45,000.

All models get the same large battery, so the EV5’s pricing puts it on a par with entry-level models of the Skoda Enyaq, VW ID4 or Nissan Ariya but with range to rival their top-end versions. All models will also come with heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless smartphone connectivity, climate control, keyless entry and all-round LED lights.

The mid-level GT-Line adds different exterior styling, automatic pop-out door handles, electric seats, vehicle-to-load capacity with a 3-pin plug socket and a wireless phone charger, while the top-level GT-Line S gets a sunroof, ventilated front seats, a head-up display and Harmon Kardon sound system.

Full specs will be confirmed closer to the launch, and the first EV5s will hit UK shores towards the end of 2025. Is the new EV5 worth waiting for? Well, the charging speed is unimpressive and a couple of the design touches don’t seem too well thought-out – but otherwise this looks like a great-value electric family car, with lots of range, space, and equipment for the money.

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