Pros: Lots of presence, big cabin, smooth driving manners
Cons: The Sportage can be had for less cash
Kia EV5 Design
The EV5 is clearly from the same school of car design that has given us the larger EV9 and the smaller EV3. Kia calls it ‘Opposites United’ and it’s defined by distinctive shaping of the wheelarches and thin LED lighting front and rear. The EV5 is shaped more like a traditional SUV than the EV6 and it has presence in spades because of that. It’s a little bigger than the Sportage in all directions, for reference.
Kia EV5 Interior
Those generous exterior dimensions result in a fabulously spacious cabin. Open the rear doors and you’re greeted by vast amounts of legroom and a flat floor all the way across. Even versions with an opening glass roof have expansive headroom and the rear seats recline for comfort.
Up front, the EV5 has the usual Kia dashboard, with digital instruments, a small touchscreen for heating and ventilation and a larger one for infotainment all seamlessly integrated behind one surface. It’s slick and easy to use, but the best thing is that there are also physical buttons on the dashboard for the climate control, so you don’t have to rely on the touchscreens when you’re driving.
Aside from that, there’s loads of oddments space, plenty of options for charging up devices and an overall sense of very high quality.
The boot is massive, holding 566 litres with all seats in use, and there’s a large extra storage area under the bonnet which is perfect for keeping charging cables away from your luggage.
Kia EV5 Performance & Drive
All versions of the EV5 are powered by a 217hp electric motor that turns the front wheels only. Performance is more than adequate, though it’s a shame there’s no all-wheel-drive model available. A 78kWh battery (that’s the usable energy capacity) allows for an official range of up to 530km – depending on specification – and most owners should get quite close to that in mild weather at moderate driving speeds.
The EV5 is refined and smooth on the road, with great bump absorption through the suspension.
Kia EV5 Pricing
Prices start at €47,625 for the Earth 2 model and is really well-equipped. Standard highlights include a heat pump to maximise range in winter, heated front and rear seats, an electric tailgate and the fully connected infotainment system. This version rides on smaller wheels than the others, giving it the longest range.
The Earth 3 is €49,800 and the top-of-the-range GT-line car is €54,000. The latter gets a few unique bits and pieces inside and out to enhance its desirability, but also the lowest range of the lot at 505km.
Carzone Verdict
While the EV5 isn’t the cheapest electric SUV on the market, it feels like a step above most of them in terms of a premium experience. It also feels like it sits above the Sportage, though Kia is promoting it as an electric alternative to that car, its biggest seller. Either way, the EV5 is undoubtedly impressive, and we expect it to be in high demand from the start.