New Kia EV5 GT gets punchy £54k price tag
Kia’s electric SUV has also been given sportier styling and a simulated gearbox
Order books are now open for the new Kia EV5 GT, which brings 301bhp, all-wheel drive and a sporty edge to the fully electric family SUV, plus a price tag of £54,295.
Until now, the Kia EV5 has only been offered with front-wheel drive. But the GT version adds a second electric motor on the rear axle providing extra traction as well as extra power. The 0-62mph sprint takes 6.2 seconds, which is quite a bit slower than rivals such as the Skoda Enyaq vRS, Tesla Model Y Performance or Twin Motor Volvo EX40, but they all have more power.
However, none of them feature anything like Kia’s Virtual Gear Shift (VGS) technology, which allows the driver to row through ‘virtual gears’ with corresponding engine noise and throttle mapping. Other upgrades over the standard EV5 include a dedicated GT driver mode, plus adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels and more performance-oriented tyres.
There are also some small styling changes and GT badging, plus slightly more body-hugging seats, but the overall effect is rather subtle. Comfort, practicality and versatility weren’t forgotten about, with Kia even giving this warmed-up family SUV a ‘Pet Mode’ that keeps the cabin at a safe, comfortable temperature so that pets can be left inside for short periods.
The EV5 GT has a range of up to 295 miles thanks to a 81.4kWh battery pack, and recharging it from 10 to 80 per cent using most rapid chargers will take just over half an hour.
The Kia EV5 GT is one of three hot electric cars that the brand has just introduced, and it goes on sale at the same time as the smaller EV3 GT crossover and the EV4 GT hot hatch, which are priced from £48,695 and £49,345, respectively. The first cars should be delivered to customers before the end of the year.
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