Kia EV5 confirmed for Q4 arrival with 329-mile range
- 8 July 2025
- 0
Kia is continuing its EV offensive with the unveiling for its EV5 electric SUV in European form for the first time. One of three key new EVs arriving
Kia is continuing its EV offensive with the unveiling for its EV5 electric SUV in European form for the first time.
One of three key new EVs arriving for the Korean brand this year, alongside the EV4 hatchback/fastback and the PV5 electric van, the midsize SUV enters Europe’s largest and fastest-growing vehicle segment as a new European rival to the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4.
A new addition to the brand’s burgeoning EV line-up, alongside the EV3, aforementioned EV4, the EV6 and the flagship EV9, the five-seater SUV also provides a fully electric counterpart to the new Sportage – which has just gone on sale in petrol and hybrid form – giving the brand one of the largest powertrain choices in the C-SUV segment.
Kia’s EV5 is already sold in China and other Asia-Pacific regions, but this version features design, seating and tech features targeted to meet the needs of European customers. As a key part of the brand’s global ‘Plan S’ electrification roadmap, it also plays an important role in the company’s plans for sustainable mobility across Europe.
Built on Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) EV architecture with 400V technology that’s also used for the EV4, the five-seater is 10mm wider, 70mm longer and 30mm taller than the new Sportage, while the wheelbase is also 70mm longer.
The family-focused SUV also comes with boot space of 566 litres and up to 1,650 litres with the rear seats folded; compared to 587 litres and a maximum of 1,776 litres for the Sportage. Aiding its focus on flexible features, the EV5 also gets a wide boot opening width of just over 1,000mm and ‘frunk’ space of 44 litres.
As with the EV3 and EV4, the EV5 will be offered in the UK with an 81.4kWh battery pack; in this case, delivering up to 329 miles of WLTP testing for the Baseline trim and 314 for the GT-Line, as per initial tests. The 218hp front-mounted electric motor gives a 0-62mph acceleration time of 8.4 seconds plus a top speed of 102mph and the EV5 comes with an i-Pedal system for one-pedal driving.
It’s able to charge at up to 120kW at a DC public charger, giving a 10 to 80% charge in 30 minutes. An AC charge, from 10 to 100% on an 11kW charger, will take seven hours and 15 minutes.
The EV5 also comes with vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, with up to 3.6kW of power to power and charge external devices with an interior socket or an external adapter, and it’s equipped with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) hardware, ready for operation once infrastructure or individual market regulations allow.
Design, as with the Sportage and EV4, draws on the brand’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy and is inspired by the larger EV9, with bold looks and Kia’s ‘Star Map’ lighting signature at the front and rear. There’ll be a trio of wheel options – 18- or 19-inch wheels for the base model and 19-inch wheels for the GT-Line or 20-inchers for the top-rung GT that arrives later.
The interior replaces the bench-style front seats seen on the EV5 sold in Asia-Pacific and instead integrates
a centre console with cubby storage and an armrest.
The console contains a wireless phone charger on mid- and top-spec models and two retractable cupholders, and also comes with a fingerprint sensor and parking aids and other controls on the front lip.
Kia’s latest onboard tech also features big; the new Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (CCNC) delivers a panoramic wide display combining a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a 5.3-inch climate control display, backed by over-the-air (OTA) updates and the Kia Upgrades platform for latest features and services. As an example, the EV5 is equipped with Online Navigation, a feature that provides live map information to the car, which sources server data that’s updated every four weeks.
Other advanced tech includes a Generative AI voice assistant, Digital Key 2.0, fingerprint recognition and a Harman Kardon Premium Audio system.
Driver assistance systems will include Kia’s latest suite of solutions and the EV5 will be one of the brand’s first models with the latest version of Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA).
Showcasing Kia’s focus on family-friendly motoring, the EV5 also integrates a dedicated ‘Pet Mode’ – a first in one of the brand’s cars and maintaining climate control and locks buttons to prevent accidental canine or feline input, while also sending mobile push notifications to the owner’s phone and displaying a message on the screen to let passers-by know that the pet is fine.
The Kia EV5 will arrive on UK shores in Q4 2025. Prices will be announced closer to the launch.
