Kia EV5 review

It’s the Kia EV5, and if you’ve been counting, you’ll know it’ll sit between the EV3, EV4, EV6… and EV9.

But you didn’t need us to tell you that, because it’s fairly clear just from looking at it. Yes, it’s another rugged looking SUV (in person it’s actually quite aggressive), that sits slightly bigger than a Kia Sportage. Kia namechecks that car in its marketing spiel, so just think of this is a new and improved electric version of that.

No shortage of rivals elsewhere of course, including the VW ID.4, Volvo EX40, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, Nissan Ariya, Toyota bZ4x and… we’ve run out of breath. But you get the idea.

What’s underneath?

Right, all versions get a 214bhp/217lb ft front-mounted electric motor mated to an 81.4kWh battery for up to 329 miles of range. 

That’s the base spec version. The middle and top spec trims manage slightly less range on account of, for one thing, their bigger 19in wheels. But many hours have been put into making this thing as aerodynamic as possible – see the flaps in the front bumper that open and close automatically. So yes, you can tell all your mates down the pub that your car has active aero. Those that’ll listen, anyway.

A 10 to 80 per cent charge takes half an hour on a 150kW DC charger. You’re looking at just under seven and a half hours on an AC home charger.

Is it any good to drive?

Define ‘good’. Viewed through the family SUV lens, it’s fine. Easy to operate, pleasingly nippy (it feels faster than its 8.4 seconds 0-62mph time suggests), and softly sprung. Possibly too softly, if you’re prone to car sickness.

But if by ‘good’, you mean fun… nah. Don’t be fooled by the drive mode button on the steering wheel. Chances are you’ll just leave it in its default Normal mode and try and maximise efficiency. We saw 3.5mi/kWh real world.

What’s the cabin like?

It’s… fine. Just a bit bland, if we’re honest. There’s very little in the way of creativity or colour going on, it’s very dark in here and lacking any real character.

The centrepiece is Kia’s familiar triple display setup, including twin 12.3in driver and infotainment screens split by a 5.3in climate control screen. It mostly works well. And fortunately there are proper physical climate control buttons too.

No shortage of space though, with an extended wheelbase compared to the Sportage meaning its very roomy for front and rear passengers alike. 

How much are we talking here?

Prices start from £39,295 for the base spec model, but Kia is pretty generous with its as standard kit these days. You’ll looking at a starting figure of £47,095 for the top spec version which feels… a lot. Full details on the Buying tab.

The Kia EV5 is a useful electric family SUV. It drives as well as it needs to, it gets a very spacious cabin, and it gets a lot of kit as standard. For anyone looking to stick their toes in the EV waters for the first time, there’s nothing to scare them off.

But there’s nothing that really stands out about it either. It’s quite generic to look at, the cabin is slightly bland, and it’s nothing notable to drive. As a result Kia might find it gets lost in the highly congested and ever growing sector that it operates.