Kia EV5 review
The Kia EV5 is an intriguing alternative to the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y, but it can’t beat them
Our opinion on the Kia EV5
There is little wrong with the new Kia EV5 in isolation, yet it struggles to stand out in the increasingly crowded mid-size SUV class. Customers coming from the hybrid-powered Sportage will revel in its familiarity, yet we can’t help but feel that an EV leader such as Kia could have done more to offer something genuinely unique. This is a spacious electric car that’ll take on family duties with ease, but it lacks any true stand-out qualities, such as the tech-fest that is the Tesla Model Y, or the temptingly low pricing of the Citroen e-C5 Aircross.
About the Kia EV5
The mid-size electric SUV segment has morphed into one of the most overpopulated areas of the new-car market. Almost every mainstream manufacturer has put a flag in the ground, with many now seeing strong conversion from their equivalent petrol, diesel or hybrid alternatives.
But Kia, a brand widely considered a leader in electrification, has taken longer than most to stake its claim with the EV5. This car is a rival to mighty competitors such as the Skoda Enyaq, Volkswagen ID.4 and Tesla Model Y, but is it a case of too little, too late?
To get a taste of what buyers can expect from the Kia EV5, we’ve tested this electric SUV on a variety of British roads, and we even travelled to Korea to drive a top-spec, front-wheel-drive model prior to its UK launch.
Kia EV5 prices and latest deals
The Kia EV5 starts from around £39,400 and tops out at just over £48,000, so all models limbo below the luxury road tax bar for cars costing £50,000 or more. However, those who want more kit (and the option of an energy-saving heat pump) can’t add options, but have to upgrade to higher trim levels instead.
You can save thousands by finding your perfect Kia EV5 through the Auto Express Buy a Car service. On top of that, we can also help you to sell your car.
Performance & driving experience
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On the road, Kia’s entry into the mid-size electric SUV class is safe, predictable and almost entirely unremarkable. That might sound like we’re damning the car with faint praise, but such traits have never held the similarly sized Kia Sportage back from topping the segment sales chart, and we doubt they’ll do the EV5 any harm either.
The steering is light, but precise, feeding more than enough shove to the front wheels, which never feel overwhelmed by your inputs. You can restrict power and boost range by selecting one of the lesser drive modes, and doing so doesn’t make the car feel overly lethargic.
Flicking through to Sport mode doesn’t transform the EV5 into a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-rivalling hot hatch, but it does add a modicum of engagement complete with a subtle sci-fi soundtrack. We’re pleased to say that this isn’t annoying enough to have you delving into the menus desperately trying to turn it off again.
The car resists body roll just as well as can reasonably be expected from an SUV of this size and weight (2,580kg), and we found it to be quiet and comfortable on almost every road surface we encountered. Again, that feeling of familiarity is what shines through, mostly for the better. There are no nasty surprises, but it’s not oozing with character either.
An honourable mention goes to Kia’s expertly tuned, best-in-the-business regenerative braking system. It varies from a full coast mode to a strong one-pedal drive, plus an intuitively calibrated adaptive setting, and you can flick through the wide-ranging spectrum on the fly, via paddles on the steering wheel. We wonder why all car companies haven’t carbon-copied this feature; much like engine braking, it allows you to slow the car more efficiently, all the while feeding precious power back into the battery.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| Kia EV5 FWD | 214bhp | 8.4s | 102mph |
| Kia EV5 AWD (due 2026) | 261bhp | 7.3s | TBC |
| Kia EV5 GT (due 2026) | 302bhp | 6.0s | TBC |
Electric motors, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
The only powertrain that’s currently on sale in the UK is the Long Range, which consists of a single electric motor mounted to the front axle. Regardless of trim level, this set-up has a 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds, and a 102mph top speed.
In 2026, a dual-motor all-wheel drive car with 261bhp will join the range, cutting the 0-62mph time to 7.3 seconds. The flagship GT should also arrive around the same time, boasting 302bhp and a 0-62mph time of six seconds flat. That’s quick, but not as potent as the Skoda Enyaq vRS, which completes the same sprint in just 5.4 seconds.
Town driving, visibility and parking
The EV5’s light steering and generous glasshouse make it one of the easier mid-size SUVs to pilot around town. It inevitably feels large when hitting a narrower street, but it’s still pretty easy to place on the road and thread through traffic. If you need to perform an awkward manoeuvre such as a three-point turn, the gear selector is well placed to the right of the steering column, so moving between drive and reverse can be done quickly, thus preventing any fellow motorists from becoming too frustrated and impatient.
While all-round visibility is decent, the standard suite of sensors and cameras help to take a lot of potential stress out of parking. The EV5’s width means it does stick out a little bit when parked on the side of the road, so you’ll want to double check that the mirrors are folded in to help prevent any clipping (this can be set up to happen automatically when you lock the car).
Country road driving and handling
Calling the EV5 ‘familiar’ is probably the biggest compliment we can pay it. Those coming from a petrol or hybrid-powered Kia Sportage should find the switch to EV easy, and that goes for the driving experience, too.
The EV5 handles neatly and predictably, but in a very uneventful way. There’s enough grip, and the compliant suspension means it won’t unwittingly throw you off course mid-corner, but we doubt you’re about to emerge from the experience feeling a surge of adrenaline. Instead, this electric SUV simply gets on with the task of getting you to your destination in a controllable and comfortable way, which makes perfect sense in a family-oriented car.
The steering is also light but precise, striking a decent balance between making the car easy to manoeuvre and reasonably responsive on a country road. The most uneven road surfaces do cause the soft suspension to become unsettled for a brief moment, but the impact is nowhere near bad enough to cause any real concern.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
Along with its agreeable town-driving manners, the EV5 also excels on the motorway. It’s comfortable and particularly refined, while the motor works away in near silence. As with rival EVs, tyre road is a bit more pronounced due to the lack of an engine to drown it out, but the cabin remains pleasantly quiet throughout longer journeys.
Kia’s Highway Driving Assist tech is fitted to every EV5, and this takes a huge amount of effort out of motorway cruising. This tech will assist you in maintaining speed, keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front and staying between the lines. It’ll even change lanes automatically when the appropriate turning indicator is activated. Don’t go thinking that you can take your hands off the steering wheel, though, because the car will give you a loud telling off if you do.
“The Kia EV5 is unexciting and totally predictable to drive, which in our eyes is both its most appealing attribute, as well as what prevents it from standing out in the busy mid-size SUV segment." - Richard Ingram, deputy editor.
Range, charging & running costs
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In terms of specs, the EV5 matches many of its rivals without really moving the game on in any way. It’s based on Kia’s E-GMP platform, but shares more with the smaller EV3 than it does the hi-tech Kia EV6 or Kia EV9. That means it uses the more affordable 400-volt electrical architecture, missing out on the 200kW-plus peak charging speeds offered on Kia’s top-end EVs.
Electric range, battery life and charge time
The EV5 will still hit 150kW when connected to a compatible charger, and go from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes – similar to its main rivals but nothing more. There’s just one 81.4kWh battery available, promising up to 329 miles of range on the WLTP combined cycle.
However, during our own testing, we saw mixed results that bring this official range into question.
During the warmer months with outside temperatures of around 22 degrees celcius, we managed an average of around 3.8mi/kWh following very heavy stop-start traffic, high-speed motorway runs and rural roads with significant elevation. This equates to around 309 miles of range, which is a very respectable outcome.
However, when testing again during winter with temperatures ranging between 8 and 11 degrees celsius, we saw our test car’s efficiency plummet to 3.1mi/kWh. This drags down the real-world range closer to 252 miles. While this is still a reasonable amount, it falls more than 70 miles short of the official number.
It’s also worth noting that a heat pump is not standard fit on the EV5, and it can only be specified as an option on the priciest GT-Line S trim for an extra £900. We reckon that’s a bit stingy, seeing as you get one as standard on the Renault Scenic and Nissan Ariya, for example.
| Model | Battery size | Range | Insurance group |
| Kia EV5 | 81.4kWh | 329 miles | 40-42 |
| Kia EV5 AWD (due 2026) | 81.4kWh | TBC | TBC |
| Kia EV5 GT (due 2026) | 81.4kWh | TBC | TBC |
Insurance groups
The Kia EV5 line-up sits between insurance groups 40 and 42 (out of 50) so quotes will be pretty high considering that this isn’t positioned as a premium model. The Skoda Enyaq, meanwhile, sits between group 27 and 37, while even some Tesla Model Y variants undercut the Kia, ranging from groups 37 to 47.
Tax
All versions of the EV5 come in under the £50,000 luxury car tax bracket, with the GT-Line S model fitted with a heat pump and metallic paint coming closest at £48,720.
Company car drivers can enjoy the usual electric car Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of just three per cent, too, and this applies to the entire EV5 line-up.
Depreciation
According to our market data, the Kia EV5 will retain around 49 to 51 per cent of its original value over the first three years or 36,000 miles, with the mid-range GT-Line being the best of the bunch.
In comparison, the Renault Scenic is expected to retain 55 to 56 per cent of its original value after the same period, while the Skoda Enyaq only manages 45 to 50 per cent (in standard SUV form).
Interior, design & technology
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The EV5 comes pretty well equipped, with every version – including the sub-£40k Air – getting 18-inch wheels, automatic LED lights and privacy glass, while inside there are heated seats, automatic air-conditioning and a triple-screen infotainment system comprising two 12.3-inch read-outs for the instrument cluster and central display, and a five-inch panel for the climate controls.
Just like the Kia EV3 and EV9, which share the same basic interior design, we found this climate control panel to be a bit awkwardly placed. It’s useful to have these direct controls, but they’re largely obscured by the steering wheel. Fortunately, there’s also a set of chunky, physical switches on the console which allow for even easier adjustment of the temperature and fan speed.
Interior and dashboard design
The EV5’s interior follows a very similar design language to the other members of Kia’s ‘EV’ model line-up. In other words, it’s simple, ergonomic and perfectly pleasant to look at, if a bit lacking in the fashion department.
Materials and build quality
The EV5 feels built to last, even if it doesn’t set any new standards for perceived quality in the mid-size SUV class. The seats are comfortable, and every surface we interacted with felt plush yet reasonably hard-wearing. There’s no compromise for those in the rear, either, where the fit and finish is on par with the rest of the cabin.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
As mentioned, the infotainment system spans three distinct areas pulled together in one panel stretching behind the steering wheel, right out into the centre of the dash.
The main screen is easy to navigate and has all the functionality you’d expect, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, enabling you to project the contents of your phone onto the EV5’s display. The fully-digital instrument cluster is another plus point, with clear and easy-to-read fonts, and menus that you can flick through on the fly.
While the Tesla Model Y and Ford Explorer have much bigger central screens, we found the Kia’s more modest setup to be a bit less distracting when driving, especially at night.
“Kia’s interior design has largely proved just fine in the EV3 and EV9, so it makes perfect sense to follow the ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ approach with the EV5." - Shane Wilkinson, senior content editor.
Boot space & practicality
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While the EV5 doesn’t scream ‘value’, it is at least pleasingly practical for a car in this class. There’s lots of storage up front, the back seats are impressively spacious both in terms of headroom and legroom, and there’s absolutely no hump in the floor, so you can even sit relatively comfortably in the middle seat. There are Isofix points on the outer rear seats, but some rivals also offer mountings on the front-passenger chair; the Kia doesn’t.
A clever folding mechanism, whereby the seat bases and backs move in tandem, means that the rear bench goes completely flat – revealing a big, square and uninterrupted load bay. This allows the 566-litre boot to extend up to 1,650 litres, very nearly matching the spacious Skoda Enyaq for load-carrying capacity. But while the Skoda doesn’t offer any space under the nose, the EV5 has 44 litres of storage there, which is modest, but enough for a charging cable, or in our case, a laptop bag.
Dimensions and size
The Kia EV5 is ever so slightly shorter than a Skoda Enyaq, but longer than a Volkswagen ID.4. A Tesla Model Y dwarfs it in every direction except for height, while a Toyota bZ4X is longer, but narrower and lower than the Kia.
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| Model | Kia EV5 | Skoda Enyaq | Tesla Model Y |
| Length | 4,610mm | 4,658mm | 4,790mm |
| Width | 1,875mm | 2,147mm | 1,982mm |
| Height | 1,675mm | 1,624mm | 1,624mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,750mm | 2,770mm | 2,890mm |
| Boot space | 566 - 1,650 litres | 585 - 1,710 litres | 890 - 2,130 litres (measured to roof) |
Seats & passenger space
The Kia’s bespoke electric platform means there’s loads of space inside the EV5, whether you’re sitting up front or in the rear. There’s a huge area between the front seats to stash stuff, while in the back there’s a completely flat floor, which means even those in the middle will have plenty of room for their feet.
One neat feature in the back is the centre console storage drawer. Pull this out, and there’s a lidded compartment that’s easily accessible from the back seats, and is far more useful than the shallow armrest bin situated above.
As with other Kias, the EV5 features USB-C sockets in the sides of the front seats, while the front headrests double as coat hooks.
Boot space
The Kia’s 566-litre boot only really falls short of the Skoda Enyaq on paper. The reality is that it’s a great shape and size, while the upright rear end means even boxier items should slide in without issue. The rear seats fold cleverly to go completely flat – revealing a generous 1,650 litres of load-carrying capacity.
Towing
The EV5, can tow up to 1,200kg in single-motor form. We expect the AWD and AWD GT models will be able to haul even more when they arrive in 2026, but for now the Kia still outshines the Renault Scenic’s 1,100kg maximum. However, Kia’s own EV6 can take on up to 1,800kg.
“The EV5’s boxy profile and bespoke electric platform reveal a spacious interior and big boot. We found the folding rear seats particularly innovative, as they concertina to create a completely flat load bay.” - Richard Ingram.
Reliability & safety
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The Kia EV5 is so new, it’ll take some time to truly paint a pictured regarding its reliability. While Kia generally has a strong reputation with owners, it did fall to 18th (out of 31) manufacturers in the 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. The brand will be hoping for an uplift next year.
Safety experts Euro NCAP have awarded the Kia EV5 its maximum five-star safety rating, which is higher than the four-star score of the Peugeot E-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland Electric, and a match for the Renault Scenic.
As with every Kia, the EV5 comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which is more than double what many of its European rivals can offer. If you plan to keep your car for longer than most, this kind of cover could pay for itself several times over.
| Euro NCAP safety ratings | |
| Euro NCAP safety rating | Five stars (2025) |
| Adult occupant protection | 83% |
| Child occupant protection | 85% |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 74% |
| Safety assist | 80% |
Buying and owning
- Best buy: Kia EV5 GT-Line
With only one powertrain option available, it all comes down to trim choice. The EV5 Air is pretty well equipped with 18-inch wheels, heated seats, a three-screen infotainment system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the GT-Line adds some luxuries such as artificial leather upholstery, electric driver’s seat adjustment, heated rear seats, a powered tailgate and adaptive LED headlights.
Kia EV5 alternatives
The Kia EV5 enters one of the most hotly-contested areas of the market, with rivals spanning everything from the Skoda Enyaq to the Tesla Model Y. Other options include the Audi Q4 e-tron, Citroen e-C5 Aircross, Ford Explorer and Nissan Ariya, as well as the Renault Scenic, Toyota bZ4X and Vauxhall Grandland.
Frequently Asked Questions
The EV5 gets the same seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty as all Kia cars.
Deals on the EV5 and alternatives
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