Kia EV5 (2025 - )

The Sportage is one of the most popular SUVs on the planet and is constantly ranked as Kia’s best-selling model. So, it will come as little surprise to learn that the latest EV to be launched by the Korean carmaker is similarly-sized and offers all the same clever packaging and all-round practicality as the Sportage. 
It's called the EV5 and looks like a slightly scaled-down EV9 with distinctive styling that helps it stand out in a crowd. There are trim levels called Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S and, while all cars are currently front-wheel drive, an all-wheel drive version will be launched a little later on, alongside a high performance GT model.
Prices start from £39,345 and all cars feature a long-range 81.4kWh battery offering up to 329 miles on a single charge. This is the same tried and tested battery pack that powers the EV3 and EV4.
For our test drive in wet, windy conditions on a varied road route, we opted for the high-end EV5 GT-Line S model.
 

The Kia EV5 is a five-door, family-focused SUV with a bold, stand-out boxy design. Eye-catching features include a muscular bonnet, three-dimensional daytime running lights, rugged bumpers, square wings with a prominent shoulder line, sculpted wheel arches, a wide tailgate, vertical rear lights, along with 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels dependant on the trim.
Moving inside, the interior is modern, clutter-free and elegantly designed with a mix of soft-touch surfaces and smart fixtures and fittings throughout. The seats on our high-end GT-Line S model were upholstered in two-tone artificial leather that both looked and felt very premium. They were also powered, could be heated or ventilated, and the driver can activate a massage function too.
Behind a curved screen there are three infotainment screens. The left is the car’s nerve centre and offers access to much of the on-board tech, while the right screen is where all the important numbers such as speed, battery range, charge levels and the selected drive mode are displayed. Separating these screens is a smaller climate control panel. Additionally, there is a head-up display for added convenience.
There is a nice mix of physical controls too with switches to quickly adjust the temperature and buttons to gain instant access to navigation, media and favourites settings, which can be customised to taste. The AI assistant, which is powered by ChatGPT, is brought to life by saying: “Hey Kia” and this can help with various tasks including travel planning with suggested stop-off points along the way, answering questions regarding the owner’s manual and even proving entertainment with music recommendations, trivia and jokes.

Creature comforts are plentiful and include an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, a DAB radio and sat nav.
Another clever feature is the fingerprint profile set-up. It allows up to two users to save their favourite settings, such as seat position, climate preferences and preferred radio station. Then, when the driver gets in the car and touches the fingerprint reader, the saved settings are instantly activated. This is a practical feature if the vehicle is shared.
 

The front-wheel drive EV5 GT-Line S version has a long-range 81.4kWh battery with a single electric motor delivering 214bhp and 295Nm of torque. These figures result in some impressive performance stats with a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.4 seconds and maximum speed of 102mph. The entry-level EV5 Air can deliver a combined 329 miles on a single charge, but this drops slightly to 313 miles for the GT-Line and GT-Line S cars with larger wheels.
There are faster and more dynamically-engaging EVs out there right now, especially in the highly-competitive SUV sector, but the EV5 offers a perfect blend of performance, comfort, practicality and efficiency, all wrapped up in one very neat package.
When put to the test, the instant torque results in rapid acceleration through the single-speed transmission. That makes overtaking a simple process or joining a fast-moving motorway from a slower slip lane. Then on twisting country lanes, the car is perfectly balanced and confident when pushed hard into tighter bends and corners.
The steering is nicely weighted with ample feedback, and there are paddles which alter the strength of the regenerative braking with four settings to choose from. This is really handy in busier towns and cities with lots of stop-and-go driving. There is even an i-Pedal setting which can bring the vehicle to a complete standstill without touching the brakes. Additionally, drive modes, which are selected using a button at the bottom of the steering wheel, change the driving characteristics of the car. These are called Normal, Eco, Sport, My drive and Snow. Select Sport and the seat bolsters tighten to keep you supported during livelier driving.
Refinement levels are good too with well-tuned suspension providing a smooth, comfortable ride while the insulation minimises any annoying road surface and wind noise.
 

Any comparison to the Sportage means the all-new EV5 must cover practicality bases exceptionally well – and it does just that. The five-door model has a strong road presence stretching 4,610mm in length, 1,875mm wide, 1,675mm tall and boasts a 2,750mm wheelbase.
The interior is really spacious with ample room for two tall adults up front. Additionally, there won’t be too many complaints from anyone asked to sit in the back with plenty of leg, elbow and head room. The completely flat floor means anyone relegated to that dreaded middle seat doesn’t have to straddle a transmission hump and, with light flooding in through the panoramic sunroof, the inside of this EV is a nice place to be.
The boot, accessed via a powered tailgate, is generously sized with a 566-litre capacity that increases to 1,650 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. And there is also a frunk offering an extra 44 litres of space beneath the bonnet.
Throughout the cabin are numerous practical storage solutions, such as a deep glovebox, door bins, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, a bag hook, a wireless charging pad, plus a huge storage area beneath the centre console. The centre console itself offers additional storage space totalling 16.5 litres with trays, a central cubby box and a pull-out drawer for back seat passengers to use.
Charging the EV5’s 81.4kWh battery from 10 to 80 per cent using a 150kW DC rapid charger takes 30 minutes, or 1 hour, 10 minutes if using a 50kW outlet. An 11kW charger will boost the battery from 10 to 100 per cent in 7 hours, 20 minutes.
The EV5 can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1.2 tonnes and both the GT-Line and GT-Line S models offer Vehicle-to-Load functionality. This can be useful to power up electronic devices on camping adventures or even to keep important household items charged in the event of a power cut.
 

Kia is a company that ensures its cars are fully kitted out with optional extras few and far between, and the all-new EV5 stays true to that philosophy.
The entry-level EV5 Air costs £39,345, the GT-Line is £42,645 and the GT-Line S model, as tested, is priced at £47,145. Customers can specify premium paint which adds £840 to the cost and the GT-Line S model can also be fitted with a heat pump for an extra £900.
As the EV5 is a fully electrified car, it boasts zero carbon emissions and that results in a number of rewarding financial incentives. Although there is now a road tax fee to be factored in, it’s only £10 for the first year, increasing to the standard £195 fee after 12 months. And the Benefit in Kind tax rating of just three per cent will appeal to business drivers.
However, anyone opting for a model topping the £40k mark will need to find an extra £425 from years two to six as it exceeds the government’s Expensive Car Tax threshold.
Our test car sits in insurance group 42 and it’s worth noting that while Kia enjoys an excellent reputation for reliability, cars are sold with a seven-years, 100,000 miles warranty, increasing to eight years for the battery. This cover is also fully transferable if the car is sold on.
 

The EV5 is another excellent model to be launched from the Kia stable and it will appeal to anyone who is a fan of the Sportage, but is looking to move to a fully electrified car.

It boasts an eye-catching design, a stylish, upmarket cabin that’s generously equipped with all the mod cons you could wish for and it handles well with an engaging, rewarding performance too.

Factor in the maximum five-star safety rating along with one of the best warranty packages in the industry and Kia seems to have struck gold again.

And if the EV5 shares a fraction of the Sportage’s success, then expect sales to absolutely fly.