The K5’s 2025 freshening brings updated styling and a new base naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which replaces the previous 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Overall, we found the reworked K5 to be a pretty nice-driving midsized sedan that also happens to be quite striking looking. The powertrain isn’t exceptional, although it doesn’t really do anything wrong, and when you factor in the fine balance Kia found between responsive handling and a comfortable ride—along with supportive seats front and rear—it’s no wonder that the K5 is among the top-scoring midsized sedans.
As one of our testers commented, “This is a pretty nice car that’s really well-rounded. And then I looked at the window sticker and saw that it was just over $31,000, and it got even better.”
Not that all is perfect. While the new powertrain delivers decent fuel economy, it results in fairly lackluster acceleration. Plus, some of the K5’s controls—such as the split-use audio/climate panel—are annoying to use.
We bought a 2025 Kia K5 GT-Line with standard front-wheel drive for $31,330—anonymously from an area dealer, as we do with every vehicle we test—for the purpose of this road test review.
Driving experience
The K5’s new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine pumps out 191 horsepower, which is about 10 more hp than the previous turbo four-cylinder produced. As before, it’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the car is available with standard front- or optional all-wheel drive. This larger, non-turbo engine is responsive and delivers its power in a more predictable fashion than the previous turbo engine, but it’s not particularly swift. In fact, its 8.6-second 0-to-60-mph time is nearly a second slower than with the outgoing car, although we think the powertrain’s improved driveability is a worthwhile tradeoff. We got 31 mpg overall in our testing, which is a commendable number for a midsized sedan, even though that’s a 1-mpg drop from the previous version. The available all-wheel drive is likely to hurt both acceleration and fuel economy slightly.
Of note, the fourth-tier GT trim (not to be confused with the second-tier “GT-Line” we tested) gets a 290-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, a setup that usually results in smooth, quick shifts but also typically suffers from some low-speed hiccups. Unlike the related Hyundai Sonata, there isn’t a hybrid version available in the K5.
The K5 is a competitive handler within the midsized class, feeling responsive and predictable during routine driving. Even when you pick up the pace, body roll stays nicely controlled with little lean from side to side. The steering turns into corners naturally, but it feels too light, and it’s vague in terms of the feedback it provides to the driver—both of which take away from the driver’s confidence. But, it proved utterly secure with tenacious grip when we took the K5 to its limits around our track, posting an impressive 56 mph through our avoidance-maneuver exercise. It also exhibited short panic-brake stopping distances along with a confident-feeling brake pedal.
The ride is on the firm side, meaning passengers will be aware of most pavement flaws, yet the car remains comfortable, composed, and the suspension absorbs bumps pretty well the majority of the time. Harshness stays out of the equation, but transverse ridges in the road and highway expansion joints bring some harder hits into the cabin. We found the K5 relatively quiet in terms of road and wind noise, but the engine can get a bit raspy when pressed hard.
Cabin comfort
The cabin is nicely furnished in the second-tier GT-Line we tested, with impressive fit and finish considering the K5’s relatively modest price. Unlike some mainstream midsized sedans, the K5 has padded front and rear window sills, contrasting stitching, and some satisfying matte-wood-like trim. We found the firm front seats to be comfortable and supportive, aided by two-way lumbar adjustment for the driver in most trim lines. The nicely-shaped seats do a good job holding you in place through corners. The driver has decent headroom, but nearly everyone complained that the wide, plastic center console hems in their right knee, and some of our taller drivers noticed an intrusion on the door with their left knee.
The rear seat is pretty roomy and comfortable for a midsized sedan, although headroom might be tight for taller passengers. The bottom cushion gives ample under-leg support and, unlike some sedans, the seatback isn’t at an overly upright angle. In terms of the trunk, it’s good-sized with a wide opening, and we were pleasantly surprised to find concealed hinges, which means your luggage won’t get crushed when you close the lid.
Controls and usability
The sweeping display that packs the driver’s instrument screen and infotainment system into one large panel endows the car with a modern, high-tech look. It’s also impressive that Kia gives you built-in navigation at our car’s as-tested price. The dual-function audio/climate panel, though, is a nuisance. There are always going to be times when you want to use one aspect—for example, the climate system—yet it’s configured for media. Plus, the touch-capacitive icons that you have to press on the panel in order to switch back and forth between the systems are quite small and difficult to pinpoint while driving. We appreciate that the K5 utilizes a conventional gear selector that’s intuitive to use.
Active safety and driver assistance
Standard active safety and driver assistance features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking that operates at highway speeds, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. We’re happy to see that a rear occupant alert comes standard. This system is designed to remind the driver—based on rear-door logic—to check the rear seat when they turn the K5 off to help prevent children and pets from suffering heatstroke or hypothermia if unintentionally left behind in the vehicle. But it’s disappointing that a rear belt minder isn’t available.