Kia EV5 review: Practical 500km family electric SUV targets Sportage buyers
The Kia E5 is is essentially the electric equivalent of the Sportage and that puts it slap bang centre of where customer demand is going to go with EVs.
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xxx CAR MODEL NAME xxxx |
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Rating |
★★★★☆ |
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Price |
From €47,625 - €54,000 as tested |
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Power |
Full electric with 214bhp |
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Range |
400km+ |
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The Spec |
Thorough – and especially in top spec GT-Line configuration |
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Verdict |
Somewhat curious look belies an eminently sensible and practical motor car |
Their range now covers the whole gamut of modern production necessities – internal combustion engines, hybrid electrics, plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles. There a few stones left unturned.
Given their commercial successes with such as the Niro, the Sorento, the Picanto and the Stonic, not to mention the hugely popular Sportage in what might be termed the ‘normal’ ICE sphere, they have now moved ambitiously and aggressively into the hybrid and EV markets.
Their EV models in particular have proved not only to be interesting, fresh and innovative, but there’s a lot of them and recently we gave a thumbs up to the new EV4 hatchback, having previously been impressed by such as the EV3 and the massive EV9. This week we have another: the EV5.
Before we get into that, however, there is also the EV6, which we’ve yet to try and, just announced this week here in Ireland, the new PV5 Passenger MPV and its commercial cousin, the PV5 Cargo. This week too, their new city car, the EV2, completed an impressive 320km winter test prior to its launch here later this year. So, Kia is covering or has already covered most of the bases it needs to.
The EV5 is an interesting one, however, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is essentially the electric equivalent of the Sportage and that puts it slap bang centre of where customer demand is going to go with EVs and, secondly, it should sell better than Maga hats at a Trump rally given its looks, price and specifications.
Based on the same platform as both the EV3 and EV4, albeit stretched a little in order to make it into a C-Segment SUV; for now, the car comes as a front wheel driver only with a big battery to give it enough range to cover most people’s needs. There will be a dual motor and 4x4 option in due course.
As it stands, however, the EV5 will undoubtedly be an in-demand car, to the point where Kia Ireland and its dealer network may be frustrated by supply issues as the Korean factories try to feed customers.
Under the cloak of its EV9-inspired blocky look, the EV5 is all-in on Kia’s ‘Opposites Unite’ design language, featuring some pretty out-there geometric sculpts and hugely distinctive front and rear LED lighting which is as eye-catching as it is attractive. And, as the tallest car in its segment, it stands proud as having substantive road presence.
That size too contributes to its excellent interior passenger and cargo space and has allowed the designers to provide it with one of the airiest cabins in the C-Segment SUV market. A six-footer can comfortably reside in the rear seats without bother, while the boot space is vast at 566 litres with the addition of a variable height floor.
The rear seat also splits 60:40 and has a recline function, while there is a ‘frunk’ under the hood with a 44-litre capacity which easily swallows all cables.
We drove the top spec GT-Line version and the cabin was a very nice place to be both for driver and passengers. There are three screens to cope with here – two 12.3” screens for infotainment and instrumentation, as well as one of 5.3” for your climate needs. Mercifully, there are also physical buttons for working the climate system too, as well as volume controls.
There are also shortcut buttons for all the major controls – phone, stereo and safety systems – which is a big help in not having to navigate menus and sub-menus while on the move, which is always tricky. There’s also a ‘Hey Kia’ AI assistant.
The steering wheel mounted controls also access phone and adaptive cruise controls, so the whole thing is very driver-friendly and, importantly, safe. In this trim, the quality of the materials used is not up to premium standard, but not far off.
Regardless of which spec level you sit into, you will get an 81.4 kwh battery and a front-mounted electric motor which puts some 214 bhp under your right foot. That translates into an 8.4 second 0-100 km/h sprint and a top speed of just over 160 km/h.
Range is a claimed 500+ but, as always, you have to get out the pinch of salt before swallowing that one. Still, you will easily get 400km + out of it and for a majority of potential owners that will be perfectly workable.
The actual driving experience will come across as being a little flat for the blood and thunder brigade and you’d reasonably conclude that this is because the car is aimed squarely at the family market. It is not a particularly fun car to drive, just very competent. That said, it handles B-roads well but the emphasis here is on smoothness and not excitement.
As a handler it is definitely more polished than many of those cars we are seeing coming out of China right now, although you will experience typical front wheel drive characteristics, with understeer and wet traction being evident.
It grips well, ordinarily, doesn’t lean overbearingly in corners and the steering is nicely weighted and precise. The focus in on comfort here and it shows, particularly so on the increasingly pock-marked road network which is currently struggling to cope with the current wet spell.
If there was one word – other than comfort, pragmatic and practical – that sums up the EV5, it would be ‘sensible.’ Some might balk at the unusually squared-off look of the car or the somewhat outré lighting arrangements, but this is a car which for many buyers simply makes sense.
It offers excellent choice on specification; it is reasonably priced in comparative terms and is beautifully put together. It also performs well in terms of range and get-up-and-go without being outstanding in either area.
Of course, many will jump to the conclusion that this is the car which will replace the Sportage, which is a bit wide of the mark because the Kia bestseller is going nowhere. Rather it will complement it and offer a decent choice for the converted EV segment.
As such it is a very decent and relevant choice in a somewhat crowded segment and while not as dynamically exciting as other models in the Kia range, it is a paragon of practicality and simple good sense.
It might not do everything brilliantly, but it does things really well and without breaking sweat. And if you’re in the market for a mid-sized electric SUV, then you definitely have it on your shortlist.
