Kia EV5

Kia EV5 at a glance

The EV5 sits between the compact Kia EV3 and EV4 and the seven-seat EV9. Unlike most Kia electric cars, it was launched first in China rather than Korea: it was Kia's first electric car exported from China, and it is the first dedicated Kia EV with a 400-volt rather than 800-volt system, so it does not charge as fast as the EV6 or EV9.

Generations and model history

Kia showed the EV5 Concept on 20 March 2023 at its EV Day in China. The concept used plant-based and recycled interior materials. The production version was shown in August 2023 at the Chengdu Motor Show, and Chinese production started the same year. Thailand, Brazil, Morocco, Australia and Pakistan followed in 2024, Singapore in May 2025, South Korea in September 2025. Europe saw the car on 8 July 2025, with sales from the fourth quarter.

The design follows Kia's "Opposites United" language with an updated "Digital Tiger Face" lighting signature. A performance EV5 GT was revealed in January 2026 and is listed by ADAC from 2026; we could not confirm its output, so it is not covered here. Kia has said the EV5 will not be sold in the USA or Mexico; Canada gets it as a 2027 model.

Motors, batteries and performance

The battery line-up is unusually wide for one model. Chinese-built cars use packs made by CATL (60.3 and 81.4 kWh, NMC) and FinDreams (64.2 and 88.1 kWh, LFP). Korean-built cars use an 81.4 kWh NMC pack, and that is the only battery sold in Europe.

Figures from ADAC for the German market. In markets with the 88.1 kWh LFP battery, Wikipedia lists up to 540-555 km WLTP for the FWD version and 230 kW (313 PS) with 480 Nm for the AWD version, which reaches 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. The entry 64.2 kWh version manages 400 km WLTP.

The European 81.4 kWh car charges at up to 150 kW DC, taking about 30 minutes to 80%. On AC it charges at 11 kW three-phase, about 7 hours 20 minutes for a full battery. The LFP versions sold elsewhere peak at 102-141 kW DC.

Dimensions, space and boot

The 2,750 mm wheelbase leaves room for a flat rear floor, and the 566-litre boot is larger than the Volkswagen ID.4's. The AWD version can tow 1,800 kg braked, 600 kg more than the FWD car. Width including mirrors is 2,135 mm; to see how it fits next to other cars, use the size comparison tool.

Energy consumption and running costs

ADAC lists WLTP combined consumption of 16.9 kWh/100 km for the FWD car and 18.1 kWh/100 km for the AWD. The WLTP sub-cycles show how much speed matters: 12.8 kWh/100 km in the urban-edge phase against 23.1 kWh/100 km on the motorway phase for the FWD car. In practice, long motorway trips will see far less than the 530 km headline range.

Trims, prices and equipment

German list prices according to ADAC:

A GT-Line Launch Edition was offered from November 2025 to February 2026. In the UK the range is called Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S. Prices in Asia-Pacific markets are lower thanks to the smaller LFP batteries.

Safety: Euro NCAP

Euro NCAP tested the EV5 in 2025 (160 kW FWD, left-hand drive) and awarded five stars: 83% for adult occupants, 85% for child occupants, 74% for vulnerable road users and 80% for safety assist. ANCAP's 2024 test, aligned with Euro NCAP, gave 88%, 86%, 74% and 82% respectively. Compare the results with other SUVs in our safety section.

Reliability and known issues

The EV5 is too new in Europe for reliability surveys or breakdown statistics, and we found no recall information in our sources. Note that cars built in China and Korea differ in battery supplier and chemistry, so specification sheets from other markets do not always apply to European cars.

Sales

Chinese sales have been modest: 451 cars in 2023, 4,665 in 2024 and 3,307 in 2025. Thailand registered 416 cars in 2024. European volume figures were not yet available in our sources.

Rivals

Rival figures are manufacturer data for the main European versions; prices are left out because they change often. Check current versions with our comparison tool.

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