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Review
2025 Kia EV5 Earth review
Andrea Matthews
November 08, 2024
The long-awaited first medium electric SUV from Kia Australia, the Kia EV5, has arrived in Australia promising electric driving range of up to 555km and undercutting the Tesla Model Y with a price tag starting at less than $60K driveaway.
Highly anticipated as the brand’s mid-size SUV rival to the best-selling Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV5 is the brand's first vehicle to be sourced from China in a move to keep the cost of the electric vehicle competitive for Australian buyers.
Benefitting from a familiar brand and backed by a well-established dealer network, the Kia EV5 arrives to face a barrage of new electric and plug-in hybrid SUV entrants from new Chinese brands such as BYD and Zeekr, all keen to establish themselves in the local market.
But the Kia EV5 arrives well prepared, as a medium SUV that is not only all-electric, but has all the packaging, comfort and tech expected by savvy family car buyers.
Until the range-topping (and fully loaded), Kia EV5 GT Line model arrives in December, the EV5 Earth reviewed here, currently sits at the top of the EV5 line-up, featuring a combination of all-wheel drive, dual motor set up and long-range battery capacity.
The Kia EV5 joins the larger EV6 and EV9 in Kia showrooms, and is soon to be joined by the smaller EV3.
The Kia EV5 range is book ended by a relatively affordable front-wheel drive Air model at $56,770 drive away and the upcoming dual-motor, all-wheel drive GT-Line that include the best of the EV5’s features but is priced at a significant premium, coming in at $75,990 drive away.
Mid-spec variants are the Kia EV5 Air long range and Kia Earth AWD long range models, priced at $63,990 and $68,990 respectively.
While driveaway pricing is offered nationally, WA buyers should expect to pay an additional $1000 for Air and Earth variants and $2000 for GT-Line.
Kia is offering pre-payment options for servicing with options including 3, 5 and 7-year packages priced at $980, $1535 and $2431 respectively. It backs the EV5 with a seven year/unlimited kilometre new vehicle warranty and a seven year, 150,000km warranty on the battery.
2025 Kia EV5 model range pricing - driveaway (excluding Western Australia)
Kia EV5 Air 2WD - $56,770
Kia EV5 Air 2WD Long Range- $63,990
Kia EV5 Earth AWD Long Range - $68,990
Kia EV5 GT-Line AWD Long Range (on sale December) - $75,990
2025 Kia EV5 range specs and features
The Kia EV5 is available with a 64.2kWh battery in the entry model Air and a larger 88.1kWh battery available in the Air, Earth and GT-Line.
Driving range varies from 400km (WLTP) in the most affordable Air model to 555km in the Air Long Range.
Range is reduced to 470km in the GT-Line largely due to that vehicle’s larger wheel while the Kia EV5 Earth has a claimed driving range of 500km.
Both Kia EV5 Air models have a single 160kW motor mounted on the front axle while the Earth and GT-Line add a second 70kW motor to the rear axle for a power output of 230kW/480Nm. That output, while spirited, doesn’t make for the ultra-rapid acceleration of the upcoming Zeekr X, which is likely to be one of the EV5's closest competitors when that arrives before the end of 2024.
All Kia EV5 models are equipped with the same integrated infotainment system and features including Bluetooth integration, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and tech integrations designed to make living with the Kia EV5 seamless. All Kia EV5 variants are equiped with satellite navigation including 10 years map updates.
The Kia Connect app works with all vehicles and allow the use of remote functions including battery conditioning while over the air (OTA) updates eliminate the need to visit a dealership for software updates. It also enables vehicle opening with a phone, and when used in the EV5 GT-Line, enables the driver to start the car using fingerprint recognition
But its the Kia EV5 GT-Line that receives the best of the new features including wireless phone charger, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, premium Harmon Kardon stereo system, heated and chilled storage and panoramic sunroof.
Satellite Navigation is included in all Kia EV5 variants.
2025 Kia EV5 exterior design
The Kia EV5 has a striking exterior design which has strong familial ties to its larger sibling, the Kia EV9.
Like the EV9, and next year's Kia Tasman Ute it has a boxy look which is eye-catching and appealing.
The 2025 Kia EV5 is available in eight exterior paint colours, and because it arrives from a new source plant, Kia is able to introduce new colours to its range including Magma Red, Frost Blue, Tide Blue and Shale Grey. Available on the top spec GT-Line is a two-tone paint incorporating black roof available in four colour combinations. And for the first time in the range, a black roof will be able to be combined with a sunroof, something Kia has not been able to offer previously.
The Kia EV5 Earth has some design features that set it apart from the Air. It has a larger 19-inch alloy wheel finished in gloss black, along with gloss black accents and roof rails. It also has a powered tailgate and external vehicle to load port to power devices on the road.
The exterior paint palette is appealing however less convincing is the quality of the Kia EV5's paint finish, which appears to have an orange peel effect in certain lights.
The Kia EV5 is set to take on the Tesla Model Y for sales supremacy in the electric medium SUV category.
What is the Kia EV5 like inside?
Both Air and Earth Kia EV5 models are offered with a dark interior – upgraded to synthetic leather trim in the Earth. The GT-Line steps up to a combination of two-tone synthetic leather finish.
Recycled materials used in the EV5's cabin include PET in the carpet and trim. The Earth variant is also available with an attractive beige interior although the upholstery on the rear seat of our test car could have had a slightly better fit. A jump into the larger Kia Sorento SUV at the end of the day hinted at a contrast in the quality levels with more premium finishes and materials evident in the Korean-sourced Sorento.
In the Kia EV5 Earth model, the front seats are heated and the drivers has a massage function however the passenger seat is manually operated so doesn’t offer a full range of adjustment. Seats are comfortable and decent for long drives.
The EV5's rear seats are also comfortable and offer a good amount of legroom. Teenage and adult passengers won’t have any issues with space in the Kia, however the air vents are mounted on the B pillars to make room for a large storage cubby - so passengers in the centre seat will be reliant on air from the front of the cabin to keep them cool in the summer.
Two USB-C chargers are located in the rear of the front seats allowing for device charging and there’s also a 12V socket in the boot to charge laptops using the EV5's useful vehicle to load (V2L) capability.
Kia’s designers have given plenty of thought to how families will use the EV5. In addition to the storage cubby in the centre console (which can be heated and chilled in the GT-Line between 5 and 55 degrees centigrade), the boot has two storage compartments under the removable boot floor, and a 67-litre frunk to keep cables out of the boot.
The second row in the EV5 folds completely flat for load carrying and can accommodate an inflatable mattress accessory for an impromptu getaway or power nap.
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Is the Kia EV5 good to drive?
You’ll get the best range out of the front-wheel drive EV5 Air long range but the claimed range for the Kia EV5 Earth is 500km, which is more than enough for most driver’s weekly commute.
In practice, on a judicious test drive route that took us from Sydney via a coastal drive inland to Bowral (with slow moving traffic and downhill stretches giving plenty of opportunity for battery regeneration), the Earth achieved energy efficiency of 17.7kWh/100km. A spirited section saw consumption rise towards 21kWh/100km.
Kia has had some local input into how the new EV5 rides on Australian roads, and the result is a vehicle which is largely convincing and well equipped to handle a variety of road surfaces. The EV5 is fitted with a cheaper Kumho 235/55R19 tyre, which is not as quiet an option for an electric SUV as a premium Continental tyre. As with most electric cars, the Kia EV5 eschews the spare tyre in favour of an inflator kit – so the Chery E5 remains the only medium EV SUV to fit a spare wheel as standard.
And the Kia EV5 is not the quietest electric vehicle on the road either. From the back seat, there’s a fair amount of air and road noise which is more noticeable in an electric SUV, but better mitigated in rival mid-size SUVs. It's a sign that the Kia EV5 could do with some further refinement.
Kia says the EV5 will charge from 10 to 80 percent in 38 minutes on a Chargefox 350kW rapid charger.
The Kia EV5 features high strength steel construction along with a suite of air bags including a centre airbag.
Not all models feature the same level of safety and driver assistance technology. Remote Smart Park Assist, Blind Spot View Monitor (BVM), Surround View Monitor (SVM) + Parking Collision Assist are only available on the top of the range GT-Line.
Autonomous Emergency Braking w/ Junction Crossing, Lane Oncoming, Lane Change Side
Blind Spot Detection & Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Highway Drive Assist 2.0
Driver Attention Alert
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
LKA with Lane Follow Assist
Multi Collision Braking (MCB)
Intelligent Speed Limit Assist (ISLA)
Front & Rear Parking Sensors
Electronic Park Brake with Auto Hold
Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go function
Rear View Camera
In practice on the road, the Kia's suite of driver assistance tech is one of the best, but is accompanied by some annoying audible alarms which can at least be switched off while not impacting the effectiveness of the systems.
The Kia EV5 Earth has a modern interior highlighted by a high tech infotainment screen.
How does the Kia EV5 compare?
Compared to the Australia's best selling electric car, the Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV5 is down on finish, range and all-importantly space – no other mid-size SUV beats the Model Y for its luggage hauling capability, although it does offer decent levels of accommodation within the cabin and some thoughtful features.
Compared to Kia’s current range of petrol and diesel SUVs, including the excellent Sportage and Sorento, the EV5 is good, but not quite as proficient.
Compared to offerings from China’s incoming brands? The jury is out until we can do some more detailed back-to-back comparisons, but the result could be closer than Kia might like, especially in terms of value and features in the more affordable EV5 models.
On paper, the Kia EV5 offers prospective electric car buyers a near-perfect package. It arrives in the most popular segment of the Australian car market from a brand with fantastic SUV credentials. It’s backed by Kia's large dealer network, which means seeking aftersales support should be straightforward, if needed.
Like the acclaimed EV9, the styling is bold and the interior thoughtful, but it is just a bit sub-par in its finish for a Kia interior and its price point. This Kia needs more polish.
Saving all the cool features for the EV5 GT-Line might put a handbrake on overall EV5 sales, too. Features like a wireless phone charger (or two) and a heated steering wheel are often found on cars below the GT-Line's price point.
Those interested in the Kia EV5's blend of style and space however should take it for a test drive and assess it for their own needs, but don’t be surprised if the next iteration of this SUV is better equipped and better finished.
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