Kia EV5 Review 2026

Car manufacturers often refer to their most expensive products as ‘halo models’ – the idea being they attract the curious into showrooms, look at them in wonder and then settle for another model within their budget. This is most effective when the less costly car has obvious visual similarities to the pricier one, which could see the new Kia EV5 being especially popular.

That’s right, that the EV5 looks rather like an 80% scale version of the flagship Kia EV9 is wholly deliberate and not indicative of a paucity of ideas. Pleasingly, its sheer surfaced, angular bodywork still looks purposeful in this moderately sized form.

They also serve an additional purpose within the Korean brand’s expansive SUV line-up by giving the electric-only EV5 a distinct identity from that of the combustion-engined Kia Sportage. The battery powered newbie has very similar dimensions to its well-established and very popular sibling.

Not that the Kia EV5 will only have in-house competition in the family-friendly SUV market, particularly with a growing number of electric alternatives from a whole host of rivals. Among prestige models in Kia’s sights are the BMW iX1 and the similarly sharp-suited Volvo EX40.

You can expect the EV5 to undercut those, but it's unlikely to be inexpensive – good value, yes, but cheap? No. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Kia feels like more car for your money than the Ford Explorer, although the recently facelifted Skoda Enyaq will likely prove to be a more spacious choice, as should the Renault Scenic E-Tech.

Underneath the EV5’s perpendicular body is another iteration of the E-GMP mechanical platform shared with others in the same manufacturing group including the intriguing-looking Kia EV4. As per that model, the EV5's electric motor is mounted at the front powering those wheels, rather than under the boot floor driving the rears, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Genesis GV60.

This may well pay dividends by allowing Kia to maximise space in the back of the EV5 for people and luggage. All-wheel drive models do have a second motor at the back but it's far less powerful – and likely more space efficient – than the front one.

Front-wheel drive Kia EV5s will arrive first with more powerful all-wheel drive versions following. Expect reasonable performance and a driving range of up to 329 miles. A smaller battery could follow in the future with a curtailed range but cheaper price.

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

Orders for the Kia EV5 opened in September 2025 with first customer deliveries due before the end of the year. Prices start at £39,295 for the Kia EV5 Air, rising to £42,595 for the GT-Line model. For all the bells and whistles of the Kia EV5 GT-Line S there's a sharp increase to £47,095.

Model-for-model those prices are broadly £3000 more expensive than the smaller-but-still-spacious Kia EV3.

Keep this page bookmarked to for updated news and details about this electric SUV ahead of our comprehensive full Kia EV5 review being published in the weeks ahead.

Kia EV5: Range and charging times

There's just one power option for the EV5, at least for now, which is a 218PS single electric motor driving the front wheels, with an 81.4kWh battery. The EV5 can charge at up to 150kW using a DC fast charger, which means a refill time from 10% to 80% battery capacity of around 30 minutes.

If you've got a regular home charger, you can expect a full charge from empty to take just over 11 hours.

Front-wheel drive Kia EV5s will arrive first, boasting an output of 217PS, while the 2026-expected all-wheel drive versions will increase that to 306PS. Performance and WLTP combined cycle driving range figures for the front-drive EV5s are provisional for the time being with a 0-62mph time quoted at 8.4 seconds and a driving range of up to 329 miles from the Long Range 81.4kWh battery (the GT-Line can manage 314 miles due to its big wheels).

It's possible that Kia may also offer the entry-level EV5 with a Standard Range battery with a 58kWh capacity paired with the 217PS front-wheel drive motor arrangement at some point in the future. That should be more than sufficient for at around 250 miles of range.

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. There are Isofix child-seat mounting points on the outer rear seats.

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.

Practicality-wise, the EV 5 has a 566-litre boot with all seats up, 1650 litres with the 60:40-split second row folded and a 44-litre frunk under the bonnet – something rivals like the Enyaq don't offer, but Tesla does. The boot floor is height-adjustable by 100mm.

It’s likely to have a spacious cabin for five people, although the curious front passenger seat with its elevated side extension forming what appears to be an armrest won’t be swapped over for right-hand drive versions of the EV5 sold in the UK.

Based on other EV cars from Kia, we're expecting a high quality and well-built interior, but one that doesn't really veer into premium territory.

A pair of 12.3-inch screens dominate the Kia EV5’s dashboard, with a smaller display for the climate control between them. While the sleek, minimalist look is very of the moment, the low tally of physical buttons is disappointing. At least there looks to be a toggle for adjusting the climate control temperature without flicking through a series of touchscreen menus.

Prices for the Kia EV5 start at £39,295 for the entry-level Air model, rising to £42,595 for the GT-Line model. The top-end GT-Line S costs from £47,095, or £47,995 if you want one with a heat pump.

In comparison, the cheapest Tesla Model Y starts at £44,990, while the Skoda Enyaq costs from £40,110. The Renault Scenic E-Tech, however, starts at £35,495, although that's helped by the government's Electric Car Grant knocking £1500 off.

If you buy the entry-level EV5 Air model, you'll just about avoid the expensive car supplemental Vehicle Excise Duty charge for cars that cost more than £40,000 new. That means an annual car tax bill of £195, while other models will have to pay an extra £425 a year. 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.

Insurance groups for the EV5 haven't yet been announced, and nor have service intervals. Servicing on electric cars tends to be more affordable than petrol or diesel models, due to fewer moving parts on the powertrain, and the intervals are often wider, too.

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