New Kia EV5: electric Sportage alternative to offer 329-mile range for £39k

On sale Winter 2025 Price from £39,295

In some ways, Kia’s electric car lineup could be compared to a set of Russian dolls – they all sport similar styling, and they gradually increase in size as you go through the range. But the latest addition will provide an all-important mid-point to the Korean firm’s lineup, and it’ll be called the EV5.

Kia’s naming strategy makes it easy to figure out where the EV5 will sit in the Korean firm’s electric lineup. It’ll slot in above the smaller EV3 and upcoming EV4, but below the EV6 and EV9.

So the EV5 will provide a happy alternative for buyers who find the EV3 too small and the EV6 too sporty – in fact, it’ll essentially act as an all-electric equivalent to the highly popular Sportage.

At the heart of the EV5 will be a 78kWh (usable capacity) battery pack, which is good for an official range of 329 miles. That’s more than the Smart #3, but the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y can go further in their most efficient forms.

Unlike the 800-volt EV6, the EV5 gets 400-volt charging architecture, which means it can facilitate charging rates of up to 130kW instead of the 200kW its larger sibling can accept. With a fast charger capable of that speed, a 10-80% top-up should take 30 minutes – which isn’t the fastest we’ve ever seen, but it’s not bad either.

Those speeds mean a home charge should take around 7 hours and 20 minutes when you use an 11kW AC charger.

Vehicle-to-load capability is also available, which means you can power external devices with the car’s battery. But it’s worth noting that you can only get this on GT-Line models and above.

The EV5’s front-mounted motor will pump out 214bhp, allowing it to sprint from 0-62mph in 8.4sec. That’s in the same ballpark as the Renault Scenic, but if you have a hankering for more speed from your family SUV, you might want to consider the Model Y or even the sporty Enyaq vRS.

However, if you really like the idea of owning an EV5, there is a hot GT variant on the way, with a full reveal set for next year. And, like with the EV6, the EV5 will later be available with all-wheel-drive variants.

It’s evident from the exterior styling that Kia wants to keep the EV5’s styling in line with its electric siblings. The front end and boxy silhouette bear lots of similarities to the EV3 and EV9, although the EV5 gets its own unique pattern for its daytime running lights. The entry-level trim comes with 18in alloy wheels, while the upper two trims get 19in wheels.

Inside, the layout is similar to what you get in the EV3 and EV9. There’s a panoramic display comprising a 12.3in digital instrument cluster, a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen and a 5.3in climate control display. 

While the infotainment system itself is generally good on the other models, the climate control display is not so easy to use. It’s obscured by the steering wheel and, even though you can expand the climate controls to operate them on the infotainment touchscreen instead, it would be much easier to have separate physical controls. Still, you do get physical buttons on the steering wheel, and there's an AI voice assistant which can plan your journeys or answer questions about the owner's manual.

If you opt for top-spec models, you also get a head-up display with integrated Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (which come as standard features with the regular infotainment system). All models come with Kia CarPay, which can locate and pay for parking through the infotainment screen.

Elsewhere inside, there’s a wireless phone charger on mid- and top-spec models located on the centre console, where you’ll also find parking aids and other controls. Open storage is found under the centre console, and there is a number of other cubbies throughout.

Speaking of storage, the EV5 should be pretty practical, with a boot capacity of 566 litres. That’s more than the Scenic, and less than the Enyaq – but it should be more than enough for your everyday needs. For reference, we managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases in the Scenic, while the Enyaq swallowed nine, so the EV5 should fit somewhere in between. There's also a 44-litre front boot, which is a handy spot to store the charging cables.

We've had a chance to sit in the EV5 and it looks set to be a very practical offering in the electric SUV class. While not quite as cavernous as the enormous Enyaq, rear legroom and headroom in the EV5 is still very generous even for tall adults, and you can adjust the angle of the backrest to fine-tune your sitting position, too.

The EV5 will be offered with the same trim lineup as Kia's other electric models (and the Sportage): Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S.

Entry-level Air trim comes with 18in alloy wheels, heated front seats, a heated faux-leather steering wheel, automatic air-con, LED headlights, privacy glass, front and rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise control, among other features.

Stepping up to GT-Line trim gets you some sportier styling, 19in alloy wheels, electrically-adjustable heated door mirrors, faux-leather upholstery, heated outed rear seats, electric lumbar support for the driver and passenger seats, alloy pedals and a powered tailgate.

Top-spec GT-Line S trim receives the same sporty styling as GT-Line trim, and adds some creature comforts such as a sunroof, ventilated front seats, an eight-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a 360-degree parking camera, and a blind-spot monitor. You can also add a heat pump as an option.

There's also a number of entertainment packs to choose from, which get you access to music streaming, YouTube and the internet via the car's Wi-Fi hotspot – but you'll have to fork out up to £179 per year for those.

Prices for the EV5 start at £39,295 for entry-level Air trim, jumping to £42,595 for GT-Line trim and £47,095 for top-spec GT-Line S trim.

That entry-level price undercuts the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y, but the Renault Scenic is significantly cheaper.

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