LOOKS

Midsize sedans are typically not lauded for their flashy and unique designs, but the 2025 Kia K5 is the exception — a vehicle you’ll want to look at twice.

With sharp upgrades to the front and rear setup for 2025, including standout headlight and taillight designs, the K5 is a sleek, exciting vehicle compared to its rival sedans. It looks a lot more upscale than its price tag would indicate.

My test vehicle featured a stout “Steel Matte Gray” paint color, and everywhere I went it drew a lot more attention than I would have expected from a Kia.

The Kia K5 GT features 19-inch gloss black finished alloy wheels (base model starts with 16-inch wheels), LED lighting, panoramic sunroof with sunshade, and power folding mirrors.

Moving to the interior, the K5 GT featured an eye-catching black and green seating design, a tech-savvy and futuristic dashboard design, a roomy interior with plenty of leg and head room in both rows, and it seated five full-size adults comfortably. 

You’ll get 15.6 cubic feet of space in the trunk of the K5, and the rear seats also fold down to increase space for larger items. Seats are made of high-quality synthetic leather materials, and are quite comfortable even on longer drives. Those with small children will have no issue installing a car seat for the little ones.

Other interior features include dual-zone automatic climate control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, plus center cup holders in the rear in a fold down section.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

Power and straight-up fun are on the menu if you opt for the K5’s GT trim level and its upgraded engine.

The GT features a turbocharged,  2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that delivers 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.

By contrast, the other trims all feature a (non-turbo) 2.5-liter, four-cylinder offering capable of 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet. That’s a stark contrast, and the GT is one of the most powerful midsize sedans available.

Unlike some midsize sedan rivals, there is no hybrid version of the K5 offered.

Front-wheel drive is standard on the K5, though one trim level (GT-Line) does also offer AWD as an option.

Getting back to the GT option, in addition to the extra horses, it also offers improved brakes and steering capability, quad-outlet exhaust, sport-designed seats, and a sport-tuned suspension.

Based on the numbers, it’s obvious that the base engine will be a bit more blasé than the GT option, but due to pricing it’s probably what most buyers will end up with. But those who splurge a bit on the GT will appreciate their time on the road much more.

Getting from 0-to-60 in the K5 GT takes roughly 5 seconds, while the base engine is in the mid 7-second range. It also manages the roadways with agility and a responsive nature. Not the usual boring ride. The base engine will be more tame, but will save you money.

Overall, the K5 offers one of the best experiences you will find in a nonluxury sedan, offering true power and agility.

In terms of drive modes, you can choose between Normal mode and Sport mode, or customize a My Drive mode. Towing is capped out at 2,000 pounds.

 
TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The 2025 Kia K5 features one of the better tech setups in the business — centered around a large, 12.3-inch touchscreen. Beyond its easy to master touchscreen controls for all things related to music, phone and much more, the K5’s voice commands do not disappoint and the system understood my requests without issue.

The only strange aspect of the system worth pointing out is the goofy split digital controls below the main screen, which cover both climate and radio, but makes you alternate between the two. I found this tricky to use while driving. 

If you prefer to mirror your phone to the screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration are included. And the Kia K5 does offer additional premium features such as a solid 12-speaker Bose premium audio system, wireless phone charging, and a panoramic sunroof. 

The K5 provides buyers with 3 years of Kia Connect remote controls, and 3 months of SiriusXM satellite radio. There are also multiple USB ports to help keep devices charged.

Safety highlights are plenty, but the standout features included the Rearview Camera with Dynamic lines, which was extremely clear and helpful for parking and tight situations. Also, the Highway Driving Assist feature does an excellent job of keeping the vehicle moving forward and between the lines without active driver input.

Other safety features on the K5 include:
— Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist
— Lane Keeping Assist
— Driver Attention Warning
— Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist
— Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
— Safe Exit Assist
— Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go

Optional safety features include the Surround View Monitor (with a top-down view), and Blind-Spot View Monitor.


MPG

The GT trim Kia K5 that I tested (with AWD) officially offered fuel mileage of 23 city/33 highway/27 combined. In my real-world testing, mostly driving in Sport mode, I averaged closer to 20 mpg, which wasn’t a surprise since I wasn’t aiming to maximize mpg.

Other versions of the K5 are listed as high as 30 combined mpg (maxing out at 26 city/37 highway). By comparison, the smaller Kia K4 sedan delivers up to 34 combined mpg.

These numbers are competitive with most key rivals (Accord, Sonata, Altima), though it’s worth noting that the 2025 Toyota Camry only comes in a hybrid offering, so that reaches a massive 50 mpg combined.
 

PRICE

The Kia K5 GT that I tested was priced around $39K (it started at $33K before options). The starting prices on the K5 range from $27K to $34K on the K5, depending which trim level you choose (LXS, GT-Line, GT or EX).

This price range is on the same level as key rivals, including Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata and Nissan Altima. And the starting price on the K5 is about $5K higher than the smaller Kia K4 sedan.

For those who don’t want to jump into the $30K range, opting for the GT-Line trim will keep you within budget, though to unlock the real fun I would recommend the GT trim and its slightly higher price.

One reason to feel confident about the K5 is that it comes with Kia’s industry-leading warranties, including:
— 10-Year/100.000 Mile Limited Powertrain Warranty
— 5-Year/60.000 Mile Limited Basic Warranty
— 5-Year/60.000 Mile Roadside Assistance

There is, however, no complimentary scheduled maintenance included.

BOTTOM LINE

The most impressive sedan offering from Kia, the K5 improves on the already solid K4 with sharp design, more power and space, is extra fun to drive in GT trim, and remains relatively affordable.

Sedan buyers looking for a midsize sedan option will find the K5 holds up well against all major competitors and is worth a serious look.

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