Overview
Kia delivers one of the best three-row SUVs with the Telluride, an incredibly-well packaged Carnival minivan, and for those without such a needy space requirement, a compelling mid-size family sedan in the K5. Fighting strong competition from the 10Best-winning Honda Accord, the K5 offers a lot for its price. Every K5 is powered by a turbocharged inline-four; front-wheel drive is standard but all-wheel drive can be added at some trim levels. There’s even a 290-hp K5 GT, which is good, rowdy fun. The K5 and its Hyundai-badged mechanical twin, the Sonata, have a lot in common but the two offer a slightly different driving experience. Standard features such as LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as rear cross-traffic alert, give the K5 equipment that buyers will find useful every time they get behind the wheel.
What’s New for 2025?
The Kia K5 sedan gets styling updates for 2025, but is mostly the same car as before. The K5’s new headlights and taillights, as well as a major update to its interior, were first debuted on the Korean-market K5. While a full spec list with pricing for the U.S.-market K5 is still TBA, we don’t expect major changes coming for its powertrain.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
For those who don’t care about the extra firepower that comes with the GT’s 290-hp engine, the GT-Line has a satisfying mix of racy styling elements at a very attractive price. That’s the one we’d recommend, and for those who want the all-weather traction of all-wheel drive, it’s available for extra. Otherwise, every GT-Line comes standard with a sportier body kit, 18-inch wheels, a 10-way power driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and wireless smartphone charging. We’d also spring for the Premium package, which brings adaptive cruise control, advanced forward-collision warning, and full LED headlights.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Most K5 models are powered by a 180-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Using that engine, the K5 comes standard with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is optional but only on the GT-Line. The front-drive, 180-hp K5 we drove provided decent acceleration around town, and our testing revealed a 7.0-second trip to 60 mph. However, it was less impressive at highway speeds, where it needed extra time to execute passes. Still, its dutiful transmission and well-insulated cabin helped ensure its engine noise rarely rose above a dull roar. The full-Monty GT model has a more powerful 2.5-liter turbo four that generates 290 horses and 311 pound-feet of torque. Along with its exclusive eight-speed automatic (with the same wet dual-clutch as the Hyundai Sonata N Line), the sportiest K5 is fitted with bigger brakes, a unique suspension tune, and wider tires on larger 19-inch rims. The GT we drove sprinted to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds and stopped from 70 mph in 163 feet. The Sonata N Line, which shares the same engine and transmission, was slightly quicker to 60 mph (5.0 seconds) and stopped even shorter (152 feet). However, the hi-po Hyundai we tested wore optional summer tires (the Kia only comes with all-seasons), which contributed to its performance advantage.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
The EPA estimates that the K5 with the base four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive will earn up to 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. Both those ratings take a big hit in all-wheel drive models, dropping to 25 mpg city and 33 highway. Still, both figures are similar to the all-wheel-drive Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry. The front-drive-only 290-hp K5 GT is the least efficient of the bunch at 24 mpg city and 32 highway. We evaluated a front-drive K5 with the standard powertrain on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test where it returned an impressive 43 mpg, beating its government rating by 5 mpg. The GT also overperformed, beating its rating by 4 with a result of 36 mpg. For more information about the K5’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
Inside, the K5 looks amazing for how much it costs, and this year’s refresh improves the ambiance even more. The layout is both sophisticated and straightforward, and the cabin is appointed with attractive materials such as wood trim on the dash and doors. The K5 also offers an array of upscale interior features, such as ambient interior lighting on the dash and doors, heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a wireless charging pad. While the driver’s seat feels high even set at its lowest point, the comfortable dead pedal for your left foot and floor-hinged accelerator are nice touches. The back seat also provides generous legroom, and the trunk has plenty of luggage space. We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases back there.
Infotainment and Connectivity
The K5 comes standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that shares a bezel with the gauge cluster. The larger 10.3-inch touchscreen is standard starting on the GT-Line. Both systems have a volume knob as well as physical buttons on the steering wheel. While the smaller display offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, oddly, the larger screen does not and requires a corded connection. However, the upgraded unit does have customizable profiles and the ability to connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time. The K5 is also available with a 12-speaker Bose audio system for those who want the best auditory experience.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Kia’s family sedan also offers a variety of standard and optional driver-assistance technology. For more information about the K5’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:
- Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
- Available blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage
Kia provides one of the best warranties, bar none. While it doesn’t include complimentary scheduled maintenance, its limited and powertrain coverages are the longest of any automaker besides its corporate sibling, Hyundai.
- Limited warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers 10 years or 100,000 miles
- No complimentary scheduled maintenance
Specifications
SPECIFICATIONS
2021 Kia K5 GT
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
$35,835 (base price: $31,585)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement
152 in3, 2497 cm3
Power
290 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque
311 lb-ft @ 1650 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 13.6-in vented disc/12.8-in disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero All Season, 245/40R-19 94W M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 in
Length: 193.1 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 56.9 in
Passenger volume: 102 ft3
Trunk volume: 16 ft3
Curb weight: 3581 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.2 sec
100 mph: 12.3 sec
130 mph: 22.2 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 5.5 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 2.8 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 3.8 sec
1/4 mile: 13.7 sec @ 106 mph
Top speed (C/D est): 155 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 163 ft
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 27/24/32 mpg
2021 Kia K5 1.6T
VEHICLE TYPE
front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE AS TESTED
EX $32,355, GT-Line $27,955 (base price: $24,455)
ENGINE TYPE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement
98 in3, 1598 cm3
Power
180 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque
195 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
Brakes (F/R): 12.0-in vented disc/11.2-in disc
Tires: Pirelli P Zero All Season, 235/45R-18 94V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 in
Length: 193.1 in
Width: 73.2 in
Height: 56.9 in
Passenger volume: 102 ft3
Trunk volume: 16 ft3
Curb weight: 3233 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
100 mph: 18.8 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.4 sec
1/4 mile: 15.5 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (mfr’s claim): 128 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 172 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.85 g
Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 25 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/city/highway: 31/27/37 mpg
