What is the Kia EV5?
The Kia EV5 is a five-seat electric SUV designed to sit within Kia’s rapidly expanding electric vehicle range.
At 4,610mm long, 1,875mm wide and 1,675mm tall, it provides the space and elevated driving position buyers expect from an SUV while remaining considerably easier to manage than the much larger Kia EV9.
Its upright proportions are part of the appeal.
Rather than chasing the increasingly common coupe-SUV shape, Kia has given the EV5 a more traditional, boxier SUV silhouette, with pronounced wheel arches, a broad front end and an imposing stance.
Personally, I think it looks exactly how an SUV should.
There is an obvious family resemblance to the EV9, but the EV5 feels much more manageable when you reach a supermarket car park, narrow road or busy town centre.
From behind the wheel, you still get that commanding, elevated feeling that many SUV buyers want. I like to describe it as feeling a little bit like you are king of the road, but without driving something so large that every parking space becomes a challenge.
Which Kia EV5 did I drive?
My test car was the Kia EV5 GT-Line S 81.4kWh AWD MY26.
That distinction is important because the EV5 originally arrived in the UK as a front-wheel-drive model powered by a 160kW, or 214bhp, electric motor.
The newer all-wheel-drive version adds a second electric motor and increases total output to around 195kW, or 265hp.
The result is noticeably stronger performance, but what I like is that the EV5 does not suddenly become an unnecessarily aggressive performance SUV.
There is simply more power available when you need it.
Accelerating onto a dual carriageway or motorway is effortless, overtaking is easy and the additional traction of AWD brings another layer of reassurance, particularly when road conditions deteriorate.
What is the Kia EV5 like to drive?
This is where the EV5 really started to win me over.
On motorways and dual carriageways, it is an exceptionally comfortable car in which to cover distance.
The high driving position gives excellent visibility, the driver’s seat is superb and the cabin remains pleasantly quiet at speed.
There is plenty of performance when you need it, but the accelerator is progressive rather than overly sensitive. Some powerful electric cars can feel almost nervous because such a small accelerator movement releases a huge amount of torque. The EV5 feels much calmer and more measured.
That suits the character of the car perfectly.
I also spent time driving it on the B-roads around the South Downs, where it proved considerably more enjoyable than its upright SUV shape might suggest.
The battery is mounted low in the vehicle, helping keep the centre of gravity down, and you can feel the benefit when the road starts twisting.
It is certainly not a sports car, but I found the steering predictable, traction reassuring and the body well controlled through faster bends.
I actually enjoyed driving it.
That might sound like an obvious thing to say in a car review, but plenty of family SUVs are perfectly competent without ever encouraging you to take the longer route home. The EV5 has enough ability to make a good country road enjoyable while still putting comfort first.
What is the Kia EV5 suspension like?
Comfort is one of the EV5’s strongest qualities.
The suspension does a good job of dealing with poor road surfaces, particularly considering the size and weight of the vehicle.
There is some body movement if you begin pushing harder on an uneven B-road, but in normal driving I found the balance very well judged.
You get the elevated driving position and substantial feeling of an SUV without an unnecessarily harsh ride.
For somebody covering regular motorway mileage, I think that matters far more than having an overly firm suspension setup simply to make the car feel sportier.
Kia EV5 drive modes
The Kia EV5 offers several driving modes, including Eco, Normal, Sport, My Drive and Snow.
I spent most of my time in Normal because it suits the relaxed nature of the EV5 particularly well.
Eco reduces accelerator response and is useful if you are trying to maximise efficiency, while Sport makes the power delivery feel more immediate and allows you to make better use of the additional performance available from the AWD system.
Snow mode should also prove useful when conditions deteriorate.
What I like is that you do not need to constantly switch between settings to enjoy the car. Leave it in Normal and it simply gets on with the job.
Regenerative braking and i-Pedal
The EV5 also allows you to alter the amount of regenerative braking using paddles mounted behind the steering wheel.
I always appreciate having this control in an electric car because different situations suit different levels of regeneration.
On faster open roads, I generally prefer allowing the car to coast more freely. Around town or in heavier traffic, stronger regeneration can make driving considerably easier.
Kia’s i-Pedal system also enables one-pedal driving, allowing you to control much of the car’s acceleration and deceleration through the accelerator pedal alone.
Once you become accustomed to it, particularly in stop-start traffic, it makes the EV5 incredibly relaxing to drive.
The driver’s seat is excellent
One of the features I kept coming back to during my time with the EV5 was the driver’s seat.
It is extremely comfortable.
There is plenty of adjustment and the high seating position makes it very easy to settle into the car, particularly on longer journeys.
My GT-Line S test car also had a massage function, which very quickly became one of my favourite features.
Massage seats can sound like something you could easily live without, but after a couple of hours on the motorway they suddenly become rather appealing.
The GT-Line S also includes ventilated front seats as well as heating, making it a particularly strong specification for drivers covering longer distances.
What is the Kia EV5 interior like?
Another reason I enjoyed living with the EV5 is that Kia has managed to include plenty of technology without making the interior unnecessarily complicated.
Across the dashboard you effectively have three displays: a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, 5.3-inch climate-control display and 12.3-inch infotainment screen.
I particularly like the dedicated climate display.
I am becoming increasingly frustrated by manufacturers hiding basic functions deep inside infotainment menus. Adjusting the temperature should not require several taps of a touchscreen.
Having the climate information permanently visible makes far more sense.
Kia has also retained useful physical-style controls beneath the display, so you are not completely dependent on the touchscreen.
The displays themselves are clear, the menus are relatively straightforward and I did not feel as though I needed to spend half an hour configuring the car before I could drive it.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included too.
Blind-Spot View Monitor
One of my favourite Kia technologies is the Blind-Spot View Monitor, and the EV5 GT-Line S gets it.
When you indicate, a live camera image from the corresponding side of the vehicle appears within the driver’s display.
It might sound like a small feature, but once you have driven a car with it you really notice when it is missing.
It gives you another view of traffic alongside the car, particularly useful when changing lanes on busy dual carriageways and motorways.
The GT-Line S also gets a 360-degree surround-view camera, additional parking sensors and Remote Smart Parking Assist.
Those systems are particularly useful because, although the EV5 is considerably easier to manoeuvre than an EV9, it is still a relatively substantial SUV.
Driver assistance that does not constantly annoy you
Modern safety technology is becoming increasingly sophisticated, but it can also become incredibly irritating if the systems are too intrusive.
The EV5 has all the assistance systems you would expect, including Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Smart Cruise Control, blind-spot assistance and speed limit technology.
What impressed me was that I did not find myself constantly fighting them.
They generally operated quietly in the background rather than continually interrupting the driving experience.
That might sound like a relatively small compliment, but anyone who has driven some of the latest cars with particularly aggressive warning systems will understand exactly why it matters.
Harman Kardon sound system
The eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system fitted to the GT-Line S is another feature worth highlighting.
It sounds excellent.
There is plenty of clarity, good bass and enough power without everything becoming muddy.
Combined with the relatively quiet cabin, it makes the EV5 a particularly enjoyable car for longer motorway journeys.
An electric sunroof that actually opens
This might be more important to me than it is to some buyers, but I love a sunroof.
A lot of electric cars now have enormous panoramic glass roofs, but increasingly they are simply fixed pieces of glass.
My GT-Line S had a large glass roof with an electric sunshade and, most importantly, a section that actually tilts and slides open.
I really like that.
On a bright day it makes the interior feel much more open and airy, and I am glad Kia has retained what feels like a traditional luxury-car feature rather than simply installing another fixed glass panel.
Clever everyday touches
Some of my favourite things about the EV5 were actually among the smallest.
There is a little hook in the front cabin that I ended up using to hang a carrier bag from, effectively creating a small rubbish bag.
It is incredibly simple but genuinely useful.
The cabin also has plenty of storage, including a substantial centre console.
These are the sorts of details that suggest somebody has thought about how owners will actually use the car every day.
It is easy for manufacturers to focus on huge screens and headline technology, but a useful storage compartment or cleverly positioned hook can sometimes make just as much difference when you live with a car.
Is the Kia EV5 spacious?
Yes.
This is another area where the EV5 makes a strong argument as a family car.
The 2,750mm wheelbase helps provide plenty of passenger space, while the flat floor gives those travelling in the rear a generous amount of room.
The rear seats can also fold almost completely flat, creating a long and useful loading area.
For families, company car drivers or anybody regularly carrying passengers and luggage, the EV5 feels properly practical.
How big is the Kia EV5 boot?
The Kia EV5 offers 566 litres of boot space with the rear seats upright.
Fold them down and that increases to 1,650 litres.
There is also approximately 44 litres of storage underneath the bonnet, which provides somewhere convenient to keep charging cables rather than leaving them loose in the main luggage area.
I found the boot itself well shaped and the opening is wide.
There is one drawback, though.
The loading height is relatively high.
If you regularly load heavy suitcases, pushchairs or perhaps a dog into the boot, that is something worth considering.
The adjustable boot floor helps, but it was probably one of the most noticeable everyday compromises I found during my time with the car.
Kia EV5 range
The Kia EV5 uses an 81.4kWh battery, but official range varies according to the version you choose.
The front-wheel-drive EV5 Air can achieve up to 329 miles on the WLTP cycle, while higher specifications and larger wheels reduce that slightly.
The AWD car I drove sacrifices some efficiency in return for additional performance and four-wheel drive, with official figures sitting around the 300-mile mark depending on specification.
As with every electric car, what you actually achieve will depend on temperature, motorway speed, heating use, traffic and driving style.
For most drivers, though, the EV5 offers more than enough range to make charging something you plan around longer journeys rather than something you constantly think about.
How quickly can the Kia EV5 charge?
Kia quotes approximately 30 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent when the EV5 is connected to a sufficiently powerful rapid DC charger.
The original UK specification supports charging at up to 150kW DC.
Using an 11kW AC charger, Kia quotes roughly 7 hours 20 minutes for a 10 to 100 per cent charge.
The EV5 does not use the same 800-volt architecture found in cars such as the Kia EV6 and EV9, so it is not one of the fastest-charging electric cars available.
Would I like it to charge more quickly? Yes.
Would the charging speed prevent me choosing one? Probably not.
For most drivers charging overnight at home and occasionally using rapid chargers on longer journeys, a 30-minute 10 to 80 per cent charging stop remains perfectly manageable.
Vehicle-to-Load
GT-Line models also support Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L, allowing you to use electricity stored within the EV5’s battery to power external equipment.
That could include laptops, tools, camping equipment or other electrical appliances.
GT-Line S also includes an interior three-pin socket and V2L adaptor.
It is probably not something most owners will use every day, but it is an incredibly useful feature when you actually need it.
Is the Kia EV5 safe?
The Kia EV5 achieved the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
It scored 83 per cent for adult occupant protection, 85 per cent for child occupant protection, 74 per cent for vulnerable road-user protection and 80 per cent for Safety Assist.
Combined with the extensive range of active safety technology fitted to the vehicle, that should provide plenty of reassurance for anyone considering an EV5 as their main family car.
What do you get with Kia EV5 GT-Line S?
Having spent time with the GT-Line S, this would probably be the specification I would choose if budget allowed.
It adds features including the Premium Relaxation Seats, ventilated front seats, opening sunroof, Harman Kardon sound system, head-up display, Blind-Spot View Monitor, 360-degree cameras, fingerprint recognition and Remote Smart Parking Assist.
That sits on top of GT-Line equipment including electrically adjustable front seats, driver memory, heated outer rear seats, a smart electric tailgate, wireless phone charging, ambient lighting and Vehicle-to-Load.
The downside is inevitably price.
Move into GT-Line S AWD territory and the EV5 passes the £50,000 mark, putting it into competition with some very capable alternatives.
What rivals should you consider?
The electric family SUV market has become extremely competitive.
Alternatives include the Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Nissan Ariya, Volkswagen ID.4, Ford Explorer and Toyota bZ4X, alongside an increasing number of models from newer electric car manufacturers.
Some will charge more quickly.
Others may offer more range or a lower entry price.
Where I think the EV5 succeeds is in how well it brings everything together.
It is spacious without being enormous, comfortable without feeling disconnected, technologically advanced without becoming frustrating and powerful without turning every journey into an acceleration demonstration.
That balance is what makes it such a convincing all-rounder.
Kia EV5 or Kia EV9?
There is an obvious family resemblance between the EV5 and the much larger EV9, but they serve very different customers.
I really like the scale and presence of the EV9, but there is no escaping the fact that it is enormous.
The EV5 gives you much of that same commanding Kia SUV character while being significantly easier to park, easier to place on narrow roads and less intimidating in town.
If you genuinely need seven seats, the EV9 makes sense.
If you do not, I suspect the EV5 will be the easier car to live with every day.
Should you choose a Kia EV5?
Having spent proper time with the Kia EV5 GT-Line S AWD, I think it is one of the strongest all-round electric family SUVs currently available.
There are cars that accelerate faster and cars that charge more quickly, while some rivals will offer more range for the money.
But the EV5 gets an awful lot right.
I love the elevated driving position. The driver’s seat is incredibly comfortable. The technology feels useful rather than gimmicky. The Blind-Spot View Monitor is excellent. The Harman Kardon audio system sounds great. There is a proper opening sunroof. Passenger space is generous and the boot is genuinely practical.
Most importantly, it is simply very easy to live with.
The relatively high boot loading height and less-than-class-leading rapid charging are the two biggest compromises I found, but neither would stop me seriously considering one.
For somebody looking for an electric SUV that needs to work as their main family car, rather than simply winning a specification-sheet competition, the Kia EV5 should be very high on the shortlist.
My verdict
9/10
The Kia EV5 GT-Line S AWD is one of the most complete electric SUVs I have driven this year.
It combines excellent comfort, useful technology, strong performance, impressive practicality and a genuine SUV driving position in a package that remains manageable enough for everyday life.
It may not lead the class in every individual measurement, but as an all-rounder there is very little I would change.
And that is exactly why I like it so much.
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