I think there is a fair argument to be made in favour of Kia boasting the best range of electric vehicles. The de facto electric version of the beloved Sportage, the new EV5, is the subject of this week's review.
With the recent launch of the PV5 people carrier and van, alongside the forthcoming EV2 compact car, Kia will soon have an electric vehicle for everyone in the audience.
The EV5 shares very similar dimensions and boot space to Kia's combustion stalwart, and indeed its sister car, the Hyundai Tucson.
The EV5 is the sweet spot in Kia's electric range, offering more cabin and boot space than the EV3, and a less imposing footprint than the seven-seat EV9. Available in three trim levels: Earth 2, Earth 3 and GT-Line, all versions of the EV5 come with an 81.4kWh long range battery and a 160kW motor as standard.
The official range is 530km, but expect around the 450km mark to be a more realistic target (and probably more in the summer ). I spent a good chunk of my week with the EV5 out on the road, adding over 1,000km to its odometer.
It is a hard vehicle to fault, it does the simple things right. All of the best-selling new cars in Ireland can say the same, so the EV5 should do really well.
The EV5 can DC fast charge up to 150kW and 11kW on AC. It is adequately powered with 217hp and 295Nm of torque. Kia's own heat pump system comes as standard to enhance efficiency and usability in real-world conditions.
Pricing starts from €47,625 for the EV5 Earth 2 model. The Earth 3 is priced at €49,800 and the GT-Line at €54,000 (as tested ). Standard specification is generous with Earth 2 models featuring 18-inch alloy wheels, cloth and leather seats, heated seats front and rear plus heated steering wheel, LED headlights, smart power tailgate and the heat pump.
The Earth 3 model adds 19-inch alloy wheels, full leather seats with front ventilation function, while the range topping GT-Line gains a power adjustable sunroof, driver head-up display, driver seat massage function, Vehicle-2-Load (V2L ) adaptor and digital key with fingerprint recognition.
V2L offers up to 3.6kW to power and charge external devices with an interior socket or an external adapter. The model is also equipped with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G ) hardware, ready for operation once Ireland’s infrastructure allows.
Inside the EV5 is a sense of familiarity. A panoramic wide display combines a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and a 5.3-inch climate control display. Organisational features include a drawer-style centre console storage while the 566-litre boot can be expanded up to 1,650-litres with the rear seats folded flat.
The EV5 also has a towing capacity of up to 1,200kg, seven airbags on board and the latest suite of Kia’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS ).
While Kia's EV range continues to grow, the marque still has a strong lineup of combustion-powered cars and is by no means trying to force electrification down our throats. The EV5 will share showroom space with the Sportage, giving shoppers even greater choice.
