Kia EV5

FIRST DRIVE Brand's electric offensive continues with a model that has it sights set on the Tesla Model Y and Skoda Enyaq

- Richard Ingram

THE midsize electric SUV segment is one of the most overpopulated areas of the new-car market. Almost every mainstream maker has put a flag in the ground, with many now seeing strong conversion from their equivalent petrol, diesel or hybrid alternatives.

But Kia has taken longer than most to stake its claim, and is only now launching its hotly anticipated EV5. It's a rival to cars such as the Skoda Enyaq and Tesla Model Y, but is it too little, too late?

To get a taste of what customers can expect when deliveries start later this year, we went to Korea to drive a top-spec, front-wheel-drive model - largely comparable to the plush GT-Line S. In 2026, this single-motor car will be joined by an all-wheel-drive model, plus a 302bhp flagship GT.

The EV5 matches many of its rivals' specs without really moving the game on. It's based on Kia's E-GMP platform, but shares more with the smaller EV3 than the hi-tech EV6 or EV9. So it uses the more affordable 400-volt electrical architecture, missing out on the 200kW-plus peak charging speeds offered on Kia's top-end EVs.

It'll hit 150kW when connected to a compatible charger, though, and go from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes - similar to its main rivals, but nothing more. There's just one 81.4kWh battery available, promising up to 329 miles of range.