Kia EV5: a spacious family car at a sharp price [first test]

The new Kia EV5 starts at a fairly attractive price of just under DKK 300,000 in Denmark. In the base version, called Access, you get a 60 kWh battery, 156 hp and an official range of up to 366 km. However, I drove the Prestige version, which costs DKK 339,999. Here you get a more powerful motor with 217 hp as well as a larger 81 kWh battery, giving a claimed range of up to 520 km.

There will also be a Long Range variant, and later a more sporty GT model with up to 306 hp. The EV5 will compete in the tough family SUV segment, where models such as the Volkswagen ID.4, Tesla Model Y, Skoda Enyaq and MG S6 EV are already well established. Kia does not necessarily offer the longest range in the class, but the EV5 is both longer and taller than many of its competitors – and it also offers more cabin space.

Plenty of space in the cabin

The EV5 offers very good cabin space for a car in this class. Headroom is generous and the driving position is comfortable. The car we tested had cloth seats, although it is also available with artificial leather. Even with the cloth seats, comfort is still very good.

The instrument layout is very similar to what we already know from other Kia EV models. Two large screens almost blend into one continuous display. At the same time, it is positive that Kia has kept a number of physical buttons.

It’s not entirely physical controls – some functions are still touch-based – but the solution works better than in many other cars where you need to navigate through several layers of menus.

The navigation system also works very well. It has been developed in collaboration with Google, making it easy to search for destinations. Even if you don’t use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, the car’s built-in system works surprisingly well.

Comfort in the rear seats as well

There is also plenty of space in the rear seats. Even adults sit comfortably, and the backrest can be adjusted for a more relaxed seating position.

I am also a fan of the small storage box that can be pulled out in the rear. In addition, you can get a two-zone climate system for the back seats, although it is not standard – just like the electric tailgate is not standard on the entry-level version. Heated rear seats are also optional.

The boot is practically designed and offers 566 litres of luggage space. With the rear seats folded down, capacity increases to up to 1,714 litres. In the boot you will also find a power outlet, allowing you to connect external equipment such as a vacuum cleaner. The system can deliver up to 4 kW of power, which is a very practical detail.

Another small feature I appreciate is the ability to see the weather forecast directly in the infotainment system. It’s not unique to Kia, but it’s always a nice function to have.

The sound system also performs surprisingly well considering the price of the car.

A small annoyance

One thing I’m not particularly fond of is the wireless phone charger. The phone tends to slide slightly out of position, especially if you drive a bit more enthusiastically. It doesn’t fall out, but it moves just enough that it sometimes doesn’t sit correctly and therefore stops charging. It’s a bit frustrating and seems like an odd solution when it works better in other Kia models.

Comfort over sportiness

My first impressions behind the wheel are that the EV5 is a surprisingly comfortable car. It is built on the same platform as the EV3 and EV4, but it does not feel as sporty as the EV4. Instead, it is closer to the comfortable driving experience we experienced in the EV3 (test drive here).

The suspension works very well, and the car generally has good driving characteristics. However, it is not a particularly sporty car, which is also noticeable in corners where the body leans a bit more than it would in a more dynamic setup.

But that’s not really what the EV5 is designed to be. For most drivers it will work perfectly well, and with 217 hp there is more than enough power for everyday driving.

The model will also be available with 265 hp and later up to 306 hp in the GT version. We expect that version to feature a noticeably firmer suspension.

I have previously driven the EV4 with 204 hp, and in practice the difference compared with the EV5’s 217 hp is difficult to notice. However, I would probably avoid the base version with 156 hp and the limited range of 366 km.

Easy in the city – comfortable on longer trips

I drove the EV5 for about an hour through forests, country roads, highways and city traffic. Despite its size, it is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre around small towns, and visibility from the driver’s seat is very good.

On the highway it also performs well. It is relatively quiet, and with the adaptive cruise control activated it simply cruises along without any drama.

On country roads, however, it became clear that the EV5 is not a sporty electric car. It is not particularly sharp through corners and tends to lean a bit in bends. On the other hand, the car really shows its strengths on uneven roads, where the suspension absorbs bumps very well. Here, the EV5 feels like a very comfortable car to drive.

Conclusion

These are only first impressions after about an hour behind the wheel of the Kia EV5. We look forward to getting the car for a longer test where we can live with it for a week and see how it performs in everyday use.

The official range is rated at around 500 km, and it will be interesting to see how close we can get to that figure in real-world driving.

The EV5 can also fast charge at up to 150 kW – like several other Kia EV models – and we expect it to deliver similar results in practice.

All in all, we believe the Kia EV5 could become a major success in the Danish market, such as in Norway and Sweden, and may well end up breaking into the top five of the best-selling electric cars in our region.