Kia EV5 review: big on space and warranty, short on charging speed

How the Kia EV5 fits in 2026

Mid-size electric SUVs are where Australia’s EV market actually lives, and in 2026 the segment is unforgiving. The Tesla Model Y remains the benchmark, the BYD Sealion 7 and Xpeng G6 undercut it hard, the Zeekr 7X offers 420 kW charging from $57,900, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 bookends the class from above at $76,200.

Kia’s entry is the EV5: a deliberately boxy family SUV, built in China rather than Korea, positioned under the EV6 and aimed at households replacing a Sportage or RAV4. Since arriving in 2025 it has settled into the sensible-pick role — long range, long warranty, no tech theatrics.

We’ve focused on the Air Long Range (from $60,770) for this review. It’s the trim Australian reviewers converge on: RACQ rates it the value sweet spot of the range, and Chasing Cars regards the front-drive Air as the least compromised EV5. For prices and specs across all four trims, from the $56,770 Air Standard Range up, see the full EV5 lineup on its model page.

What’s good

The cabin is genuinely family-sized. A 2,750 mm wheelbase, flat floor and 513-litre boot make the EV5 one of the most space-efficient shapes in the class, and reviewers agree the packaging delivers: CarExpert was struck by how much room rear passengers get, Chasing Cars calls the cabin smartly sized for family duty, and RACQ found space generous front and rear.

Range and warranty make the ownership maths easy. The 81.4 kWh lithium iron phosphate pack is rated at 555 km WLTP — nearly 90 km more on paper than a Model Y RWD that costs around $11,000 more — and Kia backs the car for seven years and the battery for seven years or 150,000 km. A five-star ANCAP rating (tested 2024) rounds out the case.

The Australian ride tune leans comfort, and it works. Kia ran a local ride and handling program, and most reviewers say it shows: CarExpert found the EV5 soaks up rough surfaces while staying tidy through corners, EV Central describes it as a quiet, graceful long-distance cruiser, and RACQ notes the deliberate comfort-over-sport bias. Chasing Cars is the dissenter — its GT-Line AWD tester felt firm and under-controlled on poor surfaces — so the comfort story is strongest in the front-drive cars.

What’s not

Charging is the structural weakness. The EV5 runs 400-volt hardware with a 140 kW DC peak and a claimed 30-minute 10–80% charge. EV Central calls the rate mediocre for an 88 kWh-class battery, and on its Sydney–Melbourne run saw real-world peaks swing between 87 kW and 150 kW depending on the charger. Rivals at or below the EV5’s price — the G6 Long Range at 280 kW, the Zeekr 7X at 420 kW — are in a different league here.

Highway consumption blows out, especially in AWD form. EV Central averaged 23 kWh/100 km touring in a loaded Earth AWD and reckons real-world range lands closer to 400 km than the claim; Chasing Cars measured 25 kWh/100 km at highway pace in the GT-Line, or roughly 336 km. The front-drive cars fare much better — CarExpert saw around 17 kWh/100 km in the Air around town, under Kia’s own figure — but budget well below 555 km at 110 km/h.

The calibration niggles add up. CarExpert found the lane-keep assist overbearing on country roads and the overspeed chime too eager; Chasing Cars likewise rates the safety systems oversensitive to the point of distraction. RACQ notes torque steer tugging at the wheel under hard throttle in the front-drivers, and CarsGuide points to cabin noise at speed and hard plastics lower in the cabin — a materials gripe RACQ echoes on entry grades.

Where it lands among rivals

Kia EV5 vs BYD Sealion 7. The Sealion 7 Premium is $54,990 — about $5,800 less — and the sportier drive, with 482 km WLTP and a similar 150 kW charging peak. The EV5 counters with 555 km, a squarer and more useful cabin, and a seven-year vehicle warranty against BYD’s six.

Kia EV5 vs Xpeng G6. The rational threat. The G6 Long Range costs $59,800 — $1,000 under the Air Long Range — with 570 km WLTP and 280 kW charging on an 800-volt platform. On paper the Xpeng wins; the Kia’s rebuttal is the roomier family-first body, an established national dealer network, and seven years’ warranty against five.

Kia EV5 vs Tesla Model Y. The Model Y RWD is $71,990 with 466 km WLTP. It’s usefully more efficient (14.6 vs 16.5 kWh/100 km), has a huge 854-litre boot, Supercharger access and stronger resale — but only a four-year vehicle warranty. On family space per dollar, the EV5 is the clear value play.

Who should buy one

• Families who want the most cabin and boot for the money in the mid-size EV class.
• Warranty-first buyers planning to keep the car past year five — seven years on car and battery is the segment’s most reassuring cover.
• Households charging at home, where the 140 kW DC ceiling rarely matters and 555 km covers a week-plus of commuting.
• Anyone who values ride comfort over cornering pace.

Who should pass

• Regular interstate drivers who plan trips around 20-minute charging stops. The 400-volt hardware can’t do that; a G6 or 7X can.
• Buyers eyeing the AWD trims for pace — consumption balloons at highway speed, and Chasing Cars found the GT-Line’s ride the worst of the range.
• Anyone who wants brisk acceleration in the affordable trims: the front-drive cars take 8.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h.
• Resale-focused buyers — Tesla still holds value better.

What I’d want for next year

Faster DC charging tops the list — 200 kW-plus, or ideally the 800-volt kit from Kia’s E-GMP cars. After that: a one-touch, setting-remembering off switch for the overspeed chime and lane-keep, and more sound insulation at highway pace. The bones don’t need touching.

Verdict

The EV5 leads the segment on almost nothing except space and warranty — and that’s precisely why it works. It’s the mid-size EV bought with the head: roomy, comfortable, sharply priced and covered for seven years. If fast charging or driving fizz sit high on your list, the Xpeng G6 and Zeekr 7X make stronger cases. For everyone else, the Air Long Range is one of the easiest EV recommendations of 2026.