Kia EV5 Review: Price, range and boot space

Kia EV5 at a glance:

• Body type: SUV
• Price range: £39,345 - £47,980
• Battery range: 314-329 miles
• Number of seats: 5 (2 Isofix)
• Boot capacity: 566 litres
• Insurance groups: 40-42

The Kia EV5: Everything you need to know

The Kia EV5 is the brand's new electric family SUV, which, as you might have guessed, sits above the EV3 and EV4 in Kia's electric range of cars and below the EV6 and EV9. To put it simply, it's probably best to think of the EV5 as an electric version of the incredibly popular Kia Sportage. 

The Kia EV5, though, is not a Sportage with some batteries and a motor stuffed inside. The EV5 is a bit bigger (and don't worry, we get the tape measure out later on in our EV5 review if you're interested), and while the design shares some similarities, it enjoys its own sheer surface, angular bodywork that links it to other cars in Kia's electric range.

What about alternatives to the Kia EV5, then? You're spoilt for choice at the moment when it comes to electric SUVs, with options to suit a variety of budgets and needs. If you're considering the EV5, then it has to tempt you away from the excellent Skoda Enyaq and Renault Scenic E-Tech, while the Ford Explorer, VW ID.4 and entry-level Tesla Model Y will also be in the mix. 

With only one battery and motor combo to choose from, the EV5's range is officially 329 miles – that's certainly nothing to be sniffed at, but rivals like the Enyaq and Scenic can travel further. 

How we tested the Kia EV5

We tested the Kia EV5 over a seven-day period, driving it on a variety of roads and took the family along on the odd trip as well. Here's what we found out. 

Let's start with the Kia EV5's interior. Following a similar design to other recent Kia EV launches, the EV5's interior design doesn't throw up any nasty surprises – there are two 12.3-inch displays that are separated by a smaller climate control display. 

You can't fault the clarity and detail of the displays, but the climate control readout is obscured slightly by the steering wheel. There are some welcome physical controls, though, including an easy-to-use climate control rocker switch. 

With lots of grey used in the cabin, it can feel a bit dingy, especially in the back, so you might want to consider spec'ing the optional pano roof to make it feel a bit lighter in the cabin. 

Speaking of options, the EV5 comes well equipped with a number of standard features, with all versions featuring dark-tinted rear privacy windows, LED head and tail lights, heated front seats and steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, plus wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity. There's loads of space in the front and back, though only two Isofix points feel a little stingy on a family SUV.

We put a couple of child seats in the back of our Kia EV5 and while they slotted in fine to the Isofix points, it was a faff for all concerned to get the belt into the buckle - the positioning meant it was nearly under the child seats, which combined with the limited flex in the anchor point, making it a real pain to clip them in each time. We're not saying this will happen with every child seat, but it might be worth fitting your own seat in the back to see what it's like.

The Kia's boot space is a decent size as well, at 566 litres - not the largest in its class, but good nonetheless. You'll be able to bundle pushchairs, etc., in there quite happily.  

There's nothing remarkable about the way the Kia EV5 drives, but there are no big concerns either. It steers and rides quite nicely, though it can feel a little bouncy on twisty roads, while 0-62mph is dealt with in 8.4 seconds. A little slower than some rivals, but it feels quicker than the numbers suggest, to be fair. 

Is the Kia EV5 a good car?

Looked at in isolation, the Kia EV5 is a good car. It's easy to use, has plenty of space and has a good EV range. It's competitively priced as well, and it should be pretty painless to live with - Kia's 7-year warranty is one of the best around. Despite all of that, there's nothing really that stands out that would make us recommend it over something like a Skoda Enyaq or Renault Scenic E-Tech. 

Still want to learn more about the Kia EV5? You can carry on reading below, where we go into more detail about the Kia EV5's range, interior, driving characteristics and more.

Kia EV5 Range 

Kia's kept things simple at launch with the EV5, offering only one 81.4kWh battery option that promises an official range of up to 329 miles (though the top-of-the-line GT Line S trim sees range drop a little, thanks to all the weight of the extra kit). That's 30 miles down on the Skoda Enyaq 85 and 50 miles behind the long-range Renault Scenic. The usual caveats apply here - range will vary depending on driving conditions, temperature and how you drive it, so in practice you're not likely to quite get to these numbers. 

Kia EV5 Charging times

The Kia EV5 is based on 400V charging technology and not the faster 800v tech. However, that’s in line with other key rivals, and if you’re away from home using a DC fast charger, you can charge at up to 150kW, which means a refill time from 10% to 80% battery capacity of around 30 minutes. The Skoda Enyaq can charge at up to 175kW, which shaves a couple of minutes off this time, while the Renault Scenic is a touch slower.

Kia hasn't released charging times if you're planning to charge from a 7.4kW home charger, but we reckon you're looking at around 11 hours to take the battery from empty to 100%. If you are able to find an AC charger that's capable of delivering 11kW or more, it's 7 hours and 15 minutes, Kia says. 

Putting it simply, the Kia EV5 is a sensible drive. While that might sound a little underwhelming, that's just fine for a family SUV. It has a reasonably high driving position, but don't expect to get a proper commanding view of the road – you'll need to dig a little deeper for that or get something like Kia's owner PV5 electric MPV. That said, it's pretty much in line with the competition, while there's loads of adjustment in the seat and steering wheel to get a comfy driving position. GT-Line trim and above get electric seat adjustment, which makes things a little nicer.

On the road, the Kia EV5's handling is nice and predictable, with a good amount of grip if needed. It's pretty stable with good body control overall. As for comfort, while it can feel a little unsettled on patchy sections of road, it does soak up larger undulations in the road surface, such as potholes and speed bumps, well. 

Around town, the light steering of the Kia EV5, as well as its good all-round visibility, make it easy to pilot even pretty narrow roads. You also get front and rear parking sensors as standard, as well as a rearview camera. The top-spec GT-Line S model benefits from side sensors and a 360-degree camera.

When cruising at motorway speeds, the EV5 makes longer drives a breeze thanks to its relaxed drive. Refinement is also good - you'll hardly notice the electric motor, with only a bit of wind noise to encroach on what is a very quiet cabin. There's also lots of driving assist tech available to make longer journeys even less tiring, with adaptive cruise control that'll keep you a safe distance from the car in front and within the white lines. 

One annoyance is that the mandatory Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), such as the speed limit warning, can feel overly intrusive. It's a faff to turn off - something we'll go into in a bit more detail later.

Kia EV5 Review: Batteries and motors

For now, at least, the Kia EV5 is only available with a single battery and motor combination. This sees a 81.4kWh battery hooked up to motors on the front wheels to deliver 217PS and a 0-62mph time of 8.4 seconds. That number means it's slower off the line than the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Skoda Enyaq and new Rear Wheel Drive Tesla Model Y. 

Later this year, we'll see an all-wheel drive version of the Kia EV5 that will see power increase to 306PS, though we don't have performance figures for that just yet. There's also a hot Kia EV5 GT on the way as well to take on the likes of the Skoda Enyaq vRS. 

How does that feel in real life? As the numbers suggest, you're not going to get a shove in the back like you do with some electric cars, with progress a little more restrained when you plant your right foot. Thanks to the instant torque, though, there's no hesitation when spotting a gap at a junction or making an overtake.  

The Kia EV5 was tested by independent safety organisation Euro NCAP in 2025 and was given the maximum five stars. It scored 83% for adult occupant protection and 85% for child occupants, 74% for vulnerable road users and 80% for the safety assist category.

Standard features include front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, automatic emergency braking and lane keep and follow assist, adaptive cruise control, and a blind-spot collision-avoidance assist system. 

The EV5 has a braked towing capacity of 1200kg, which isn't bad for an electric SUV – it's the same on the FWD Skoda Enyaq and more than the 1100kg that the Renault Scenic E-Tech can manage.

You're not short on storage solutions up front in the Kia EV5 - the door bins are nice and large, a couple of large cupholders in the floating centre console, as well as a wireless charging spot for your phone. Behind that is another storage cubby, while there's space under the floating console as well. 

Whether you're going to be spending most of the time in the front or the back of the Kia EV5, the good news is that there's plenty of space. Even the tallest of adults will find it easy to get comfy, with ample leg and headroom available. Adding a third person in the back might make things a little more cosy, but they should still be able to stretch out thanks to the flat floor. 

The Kia EV5's rear bench seat can be split and folded in a 60/40 configuration - it's the same set-up as the Skoda Enyaq, but not quite as flexible as the Renault Scenic's 40/20/40 split. The good news is that there's a central hatch that means you can slide long items through from the boot. The brochure will probably show this with a set of skis poking through, but reality is it'll be used to get some long bits of wood home from B&Q. 

If you have a young family, then you'll probably want to know that the Kia EV5 comes with two Isofix child-seat mounting points on the two outer rear seats  – both the Skoda Enyaq and Renault Scenic E-Tech have three Isofix points, with the third one on the front passenger seat. 

The rear bench seat can't be slid back and forth to prioritise boot or rear passenger space. The Kia EV5's rear seats can also be reclined for a more relaxed seating position and even more headroom if needed.

The Kia EV5 has a 566-litre boot capacity with all seats up, increasing to 1650 litres with rear seats folded down. It's up about 20 litres on the Renault Scenic and 20 litres down on the Skoda Enyaq, so there's not much in it between them. It's a good, useable space though and comes with some adjustable hooks along each side for shopping etc, while the floor is height-adjustable by 100mm to provide some handy underfloor storage if need be. 

What's more, the Kia EV5 has a 44-litre frunk under the bonnet – something rivals like the Scenic and Enyaq don't offer, but Tesla does.  

Kia EV5 Review: Dimensions

The Kia EV5 measures 4615mm long and is 1875mm wide (not including wing mirrors), while it's 1715mm tall. That makes it a little longer and wider than the Renault Scenic E-Tech, but a fraction shorter and narrower than the Skoda Enyaq, though we're talking a few millimetres here.     

We tested a Kia EV5 in GT-Line trim, and while it's not the last word in luxury, there's a decent smattering of soft-touch materials, though you'll also find a good chunk of firmer materials around the cabin as well. These have been finished nicely, though, and aren't the scratchy-plastic kind that can detract from the overall feel.

Elsewhere, there's a faux leather steering wheel, while other key touch points feel pleasant. All the knobs and buttons have satisfying actions and have been damped pretty well, too. 

Even in our GT-Line car with its two-tone upholstery, it did feel a little heavy on the grey - some broader choice of interior colours would be welcome in a similar way to what Skoda does with the Enyaq. 

The infotainment offering in the Kia EV5 follows what we've seen in many other Kia EVs recently. This sees a pair of 12.3-inch screens dominating the Kia EV5’s dashboard, with a smaller display for the climate control between them. As well as this, GT-Line S cars benefit from a customisable head-up display (or HUD for short).

One screen is used as a digital dash, and the other as your gateway to the EV5's controls and settings. As in other Kias, we're impressed by the clarity and responsiveness of the display, while the menu system is easy to navigate, even if we found it a proper faff to turn off the various driver assistance systems. Unlike some rivals that just need a couple of presses on the steering wheel to deactivate alerts, the EV5 requires you to go through a few layers of the menu before you can change settings.

That's annoying, but the Kia EV5 does redeem itself with a good amount of physical controls, including a nicely-damped rocker switch to adjust the climate control, while the heated seats and steering wheel controls can be found on the door. 

It's easy to pair your phone - we used Apple CarPlay when testing the EV5, but there's also Android Auto connectivity as well. 

Air and GT-Line Kia EV5s come with what Kia calls an X-Speaker Audio System, though GT-Line S trim cars enjoy a Harmon Kardon stereo. 

These are the latest On The Road (OTR) prices for the new Kia EV5 as of February 2026 – prices can change, so please use these as a guide before checking Kia's latest price lists.

Is the Kia EV5 good value compared to rivals?

In comparison, the Skoda Enyaq costs from £39,010, while the Renault Scenic E-Tech starts at an even more tempting £36,995. However, both cars enjoy a handy £1500 discount via the government's Electric Car Grant, though pricey models in both ranges don't qualify. 

Elsewhere, the cheapest Tesla Model Y starts at £41,990, though there are some very attractive PCP deals at the moment, while the MG S6 EV starts at £37,995. 

While the Kia EV5 isn't a bargain, it's competitively priced against many of its rivals at the lower end of the range. Even the entry-level Kia EV5 Air comes with a decent range of kit for the money.

If you're looking at a Kia EV5 GT-Line S, it does start to look a little expensive compared to rivals, though you do get plenty of standard features. It's a shame that the heat pump is only available as an extra on the top spec car.

If you buy the entry-level Kia EV5 Air model without any extras, you'll just about avoid the supplemental expensive car tax charge for cars that cost more than £40,000 new. That means an annual VED car tax bill of £195, while other models will have to pay an extra £425 a year from years two to six. However, the threshold changes to £50,000 from April 2026, which should mean all EV5 revert to the standard rate (although that rate may well rise).

Kia offers an excellent seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the EV5, which is one of the best on the market. For comparison, both the Renault Scenic E-Tech and Skoda Enyaq both come with three-year warranties, though the Scenic trumps the Enyaq with a limit of up to 100,000 miles, with the Enyaq topping out at 60,000 miles. Meanwhile, MG closely matches the Kia warranty - again, you get seven years' cover, though the mileage limit is at 80,000 miles. 

The Kia EV5's insurance groups range from 40-42, which means it's likely to cost a bit more to insure than a Skoda Enyaq, which starts at insurance group 26, with even the hero vRS model class as group 39. 

Kia EV5: Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Kia EV5 a seven-seater?

No, the Kia EV5 has space for five. If you're looking for a seven-seater electric SUV from Kia, then you need the Kia EV9. 

Kia EV5 release date - when will it be available in the UK?

Order books are now open for the Kia EV5, with the first customers in the UK getting their cars already.

Does the new Kia EV5 have a frunk?

The new Kia EV5 has a 44-litre frunk, or front boot. This is ideal for cable storage.

What size is the new Kia EV5?

The new Kia EV5 is slightly longer, wider and taller than the Kia Sportage. It is designed to sit alongside Kia’s best-selling family SUV as an electric alternative to the range of petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid Sportage.

Kia will sell the EV5 in three of its familiar trim levels from the outset – Air, GT-Line and GT-Line S.

Opt for the Kia EV5 Air and you'll get:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• LED lights
• Black cloth upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Four-spoke heated steering wheel
• Automatic air conditioning
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Four USB-C ports
• X-Speaker audio system
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera

Upgrade to the Kia EV5 GT-Line and you'll also find included:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• GT-Line exterior styling
• Electric folding side mirrors
• Solar glass windscreen
• Upgraded LED headlights with adaptive driving beam
• Heated outer rear seats
• Electric front seat adjustment
• Three-spoke GT-Line heated steering wheel
• Alloy pedals
• Black headlining
• Customisable ambient lighting
• Wireless phone charger

The top-spec Kia EV5 GT-Line S adds:

• Sunroof with tilt and slide functions
• Ventilated front seats
• Front premium relaxation seats
• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability with adaptor
• Three-pin power socket
• Harman Kardon sound system
• Head-up display
• Digital key
• Fingerprint recognition
• Side parking sensors
• Parking collision avoidance assist
• Remote Smart Parking Assist 2.0
• Blind-spot view monitor
• 360-degress surround view monitor

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