Kia K5 Research Guide

The Highlights

The Kia K5 is an award-winning family sedan. But its modern design and 290-hp engine option allude to something sexier. Many refer to it as a smaller version of the Kia Stinger.

A reimagined and redesigned form of the Kia Optima, the K5 made its Canadian debut in 2021. It slots between the larger Kia Stinger and the compact Forte / Forte5. Customers can choose between the standard 180 Horsepower engine or opt for an upgraded 290 Horsepower engine on the GT model. This souped-up GT engine, and its muscle-car tire-spinning antics, will no doubt draw some attention on the road.

The K5 comes with a long list of standard safety features like Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA). You'll also find many standard infotainment and technology bells and whistles. Inside, the sedan's modern interior is complimented by a roomy second row.

To top it all off, all K5 trims are hundreds of dollars less than similarly equipped Camrys and Accords. Awards for this much loved sedan include:

  • Car and Driver Editors' Choice list
  • Edmunds “Top Rated Sedan” award
  • MotorWeek Driver’s Choice Award
  • MotorWeek Best Family Sedan
  • “Best New Cars for 2021” by Autotrader
  • The prestigious Good Design Award in Transportation by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design

The Kia K5 counts cars like the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata as its main competitors.

How does the Kia K5 Compare?

There are four trim levels on the Kia K5: LX AT AWD, EX AT AWD, GT-Line AT AWD, and GT DCT FWD.

It competes in the mid-sized sedan class with seating for 5. So, it counts vehicles like the Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord, and the Toyota Camry among its main competitors. But how does it stack up against these top competitors? Let's take a peek.

**All prices include freight**

Kia
K5

  • LX AWD $31,795
  • EX AWD $35,195
  • GT-Line AT AWD $38,695
  • GT DCT $42,795

Toyota
Camry

  • LE $29,695
  • SE $31,835
  • XSE $38,090

Honda
Accord

  • SE $35,575
  • Sport $37,175
  • EX-L $38,475
  • Touring $41,775
  • Sport 2.0 $40,375
  • Touring 2.0 $44,775

Hyundai
Sonata

  • Preferred $29,499
  • Sport $33,999
  • Lux $38,199
  • N Line $40,649

Kia K5 Trim Levels

LX AT AWD

  • 5-year/100,000 km - Worry-Free Comprehensive Warranty
  • 5 year/ unlimited mileage - 24/7 roadside Assistance
  • 1.6L GDI 8-speed automatic transmission
  • All Wheel Drive
  • Lane-keep and follow assist
  • Forward collision avoidance assist car/pedestrian
  • Blindspot collision avoidance assist
  • Rear cross traffic avoidance assist
  • Rearview camera with dynamic parking guidance
  • Rear seat occupant alert with sensor
  • Safe Exit Warning
  • 16” alloy wheels
  • Heated adjustable sideview mirrors
  • Power driver seat
  • Heated front seats
  • Heated leather steering wheel and knob
  • Smart key with remote start, push button start and keyless entry
  • Android auto apple carplay, bluetooth
  • Cruise control
  • 8” display audio

EX AT AWD

  • Adds to LX AT AWD
  • rear parking sensor with parking distance warning
  • Forward collision avoidance car/pedestrian/cycle
  • Forward collision avoidance junction with turning
  • Smart Cruise Control with stop and go
  • 18" alloy wheels
  • panoramic sunroof
  • artificial leather seats
  • hydro wood graphics center fascia
  • wireless cellphone charger
  • power windows front

GT-Line AT AWD

  • Adds to EX AT AWD
  • 18" black alloy wheels
  • sport bumper
  • power folding outside mirrors
  • power passenger seat
  • memory driver seat
  • ventilated cooled front seats
  • heated rear seats
  • sports leather steering wheel
  • metal pedal
  • Navigation with 10.25" display, HD, UVO Intelligence and satellite radio
  • Android Auto / Apple CarPlay
  • Highway Drive Assist
  • Power windows rear

GT DCT FWD

  • Adds to GT-Line AT AWD
  • 2.5L Turbo GDI, 8-speed DCT
  • Front Wheel Drive
  • MDPS Rack and Pinion Steering
  • Sport Suspension
  • Larger Disc Brake
  • Paddle Shifter
  • Parking Collision Avoidance Assist, reverse
  • 19" allot wheels
  • Dual exhaust quad tip
  • sport bucket front seat
  • Bose premium speaker: 12
  • Heads-Up display
  • 12.3" super vision + full TFT LCD cluster

Feature Highlights:

  • Slightly more power from the 2.5-liter four-cylinder than the previous Sportage
  • New eight-speed automatic transmission
  • AWD models add 1.5 inches in ground clearance over the previous Sportage
  • Revamped interior with updated dashboard, air vents, center console, and shifter
  • Touchpad for climate and audio controls
  • Increased rear legroom and rear cargo capacity
  • Available dual curved 12.3-inch display screens
  • Wi-Fi Hotspot connects up to five devices to the internet
  • Available 360-degree view camera and blind-spot view monitor within the instrument cluster
  • It will be similar in design to the new Sorento and Seltos, featuring a dramatically new exterior and sleek interior. However, the face of the Sportage is most closely related to the design of the EV6, which debuted earlier this year as our new all-electric crossover.

Engine:

  • The Sportage is motivated by a 2.5-liter GDI 4-cylinder 187 HP engine. This powertrain provides up to 2000 pounds of towing capacity for confident trailer, or camper excursions.

Cargo Space and Interior Room:

  • Kia is claiming best-in-class rear legroom on the new Sportage, along with best-in-class rear cargo space, beating the 2022 Honda CR-V on both measures.

Rear legroom:

  • 2022 Kia Sportage: 38.2 inches
  • 2023 Kia Sportage: 41.3 inches
  • 2022 Honda CR-V: 40.4 inches

Cargo space (behind second row):

  • 2022 Kia Sportage: 30.7cubic feet
  • 2023 Kia Sportage: 39.6 cubic feet
  • 2022 Honda CR-V: 39.2 cubic feet
  • But don't forget about the dual-level cargo floor: low (behind 1st row) 74.1 cu. ft. (2098.28 litres) / high (behind 2nd row) 39.6 cu. ft. (1121.35 litres)

More powerful GT Engine

Customers looking for all the bells and whistles will likely prefer the GT trim for the aforementioned heads-up display, and other cutting-edge features. On top of these benefits, the GT trim upgrades the standard engine to a 290 Horsepower 2.5L turbo engine, which is perfect for the driving enthusiast. 

Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go

When it comes to driving, one of the most stressful experiences is being stuck in a large traffic jam. Kia drivers can avoid this hassle with Smart Cruise Control (SCC) with stop and go which completely eliminates the constant need to brake and inch forward as cars in front of you move. When activated the system will automatically follow traffic in front of you, even coming to a complete stop and starting again, letting you relax during traffic jams. 

10.25-inch screen

On GT-Line trims and higher, the standard 8-inch display is replaced with a massive 10.25-inch multimedia display screen that offers information on navigation, radio, and phone control as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Nothing is more than a touch away thanks to Kia’s convenient built-in touchscreen device.

 

A Robust Safety Suite

As part of Kia’s overall commitment to safety, the K5 is loaded with safety features. These include features like forward collision avoidance with cyclist detection capability, lane keep assist, and smart cruise control.

Advanced Driver Confidence

  • LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) - Helps detect lane markings and provides steering inputs to help prevent the vehicle from leaving the lane while driving
  • LFA (Lane Following Assist) - Follows lane markings that the system detects and provides steering inputs to help maintain the vehicle in the center of the lane.
  • FCA (Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist) - Assists the driver when braking to help prevent a collision or lessen the effects in certain conditions if a vehicle is detected in front. Uses automatic braking to avoid or mitigate an impact
  • BCA (Blind-spot Collision-Avoidance Assist) - Under certain conditions, can detect vehicles travelling in the next lane. When a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, the vehicle brakes the outer wheel under certain conditions to help return the vehicle to its lane.
  • RCCA (Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist) - Helps detect approaching cross traffic when in reverse. When approaching cross-traffic is detected, the system alerts the driver and may apply brakes.
  • SEW (Safe Exit Warning) - Provides a warning when a vehicle is approaching from the rear-side while someone is exiting the vehicle. 
  • Rear parking sensor (PDW: parking distance warning) - Detects certain objects behind the vehicle, issuing an audible warning when an obstruction is detected. The warning tone chimes faster as the vehicle gets closer to the detected object
  • SCC (Smart Cruise Control) ; with stop & go - Helps maintain distance from the vehicle ahead and drive at a speed set by the driver, including in certain stop-and-go driving conditions
  • PCA (Parking Collision-avoidance Assist) Reverse - May help avoid collisions with rear pedestrians or objects detected during reverse parking, potentially automatically assisting with emergency braking if the risk of a collision increases after warning

Advanced notifications

Kia includes it all when it comes to notifications that keep you safe. Engine Idle Notification and Automatic Engine Shut Off is just the start. Features also include:

 

Rear Occupancy Alert

Consequently, it can send push notification alerts via the UVO link app if movement is detected inside the vehicle.

911 Connect and Roadside Assistance

Will automatically attempt to call 911 via the built-in UVO modem if an airbag deploys. Subsequently, for non-emergencies, it can connect with 24/7 roadside assist and share the vehicle’s location.

Technology Like No Other

To match the high-tech interior, the K5 abounds with standard and available infotainment to keep drivers connected, confident, and informed of what’s going on around them.

  • Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on all trims
  • Standard smart key with remote start, push button start
  • Standard bluetooth with voice recognition
  • Available wireless charging pad built inside the upper tray
  • 10.25" navigation + HD + UVO Intelligence
  • 12.3" super vision + full TFT LCD Cluster
  • Satellite radio
  • Highway Drive Assist
  • Bose Premium speakers

UVO

UVO link telematics offers an array of advanced connected vehicle features, such as connected weather, user profiles, calendar integration, and smart speaker integration (hello, Alexa! Hello Google!). Plus can't-live-without features like:

Connected Routing

A new cloud-based route calculation system that uses UVO cloud to calculate the optimal route. In other words, using real-time maps, predicted upcoming traffic info based on historical information and AI to learn the preferred routes of users, it will get you to your destination.

Enhanced UVO voice assist feature

For example, this allows voice control of the vehicle’s climate, seat and steering-wheel heating, audio system, and other functions.
K5_GT-Line

Conclusion

CNET.com says, "2021 Kia K5 review: The one to beat". Read it here.

Car and Driver says, "Snazzy interior and exterior, lots of popular features at an accessible price, 290-hp GT model is delightfully quick." Check out the complete review here.

Check out all the official information on the 2022 Kia Sportage right here at KIA.ca.

You can also access all our blog articles on the Kia K5 right here.

*Every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information listed above. Vehicle pricing, incentives, options (including standard equipment), and technical specifications are subject to change without notice. Please confirm with a sales representative the accuracy of this information. ERRORS AND OMISSIONS EXCEPTED (E&OE).
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