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Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang2023 Kia K5: Stylish, Dynamic and Affordable
What do our experts think of the 2023 Kia K5? We look at powertrain, interior options, trim levels, and more. Find out our thoughts here.
2023 Kia K5 – kia.com | Shop 2023 Kia K5 on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Kia K5?
Kia axes the LS trim that served as the base for last year. Now, the model lineup has four trims and the GT-Line is the only one where you can get AWD.
The Breakdown
Above-average interior
Comfortable space
Quick GT model
AWD limited to GT-Line trim
Front seats don’t go low enough
Trim shows fingerprints easily
We’d love a hardcore sporty K5
2023 K5 Specs
- 180 horsepower from base engine
- 195 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 16 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- Android and Apple connectivity
- Standard lane-keep assist
- 10-year powertrain warranty
2023 Kia K5 Powertrain
The bottom three trim levels of the K5 all come with the same 180-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s paired to a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission and for the most part, front-wheel drive. Those who go for the GT-Line can add AWD for $1,700.
While the 2023 Kia K5 is certainly not a sports sedan, we do like the eager nature of this base powertrain. Pedal response is quick and the transmission does a great job of being in the right gear almost all of the time. The suspension is also above average and manages to both be stiff enough to drive enthusiastically and soft enough to soak up poor road conditions.
The GT offers buyers a sincerely powerful 290-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 311 pound-feet of torque on tap. Quite frankly, it’s a hoot, and it’s probably a bit too much power for this platform as spinning the tires, even with traction control on, is comically easy.
The only real letdown is that neither the suspension nor the FWD layout can manage this much horsepower and torque properly. We would really love for Kia to use some of the tech from its corporate partner Genesis to offer a RWD-biased K5 sedan. We bet it would be a world-beater.
2023 Kia K5 Fuel Economy & MPG
According to the EPA, the K5 gets up to 27 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway. That’s outstanding. The AWD version drops to 25 mpg and 33 mpg respectively. Finally, the 2.5-liter engine drops to 24 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Show an unsuspecting person the inside of almost any Kia K5 trim and we bet that they’d guess that it’s several thousands of dollars more expensive than it is. That’s even more impressive when you consider that the top trim starts at about $32,000. The panels fit nice and tight, the materials look and feel great, and the layout is classy and elegant. Small touches really impress too. You can spec the K5 with heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and more.
The layout is easy to understand and even brand new drivers to the brand should have little to no trouble finding all of the controls that they might need. What’s more, is that all of those controls feel nice to use and are completely devoid of the slack and cheap feeling materials of other brands.
Forward visibility is above average, too. The only complaint we have is that the seats sit somewhat higher than we’d like. Many prefer a commanding view of the road but taller folks will feel a little scrunched. Still, we appreciate the very complete package on offer here including 16 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk.
Entertainment & Technology
Starting out with a bevy of standard tech, the K5 comes with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The base car uses an 8-inch infotainment system that’s highly functional, easy to operate, and bright. A 4.2-inch driver information display is also standard. There’s also an available 10.25-inch screen that’s standard on every trim above the LXS. It looks considerably better since it fills the dash appropriately and it offers more content with that extra real estate.
Integrated navigation and voice controls both works well. On top of that, Kia offers real physical buttons and knobs for the most important climate and entertainment controls. Audiophiles can opt for a very nice 12-speaker Bose sound system.
Safety Features
Kia equips every K5 with lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Those who want such features can add adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and cruise control.
In our experience, these features work incredibly well on the K5. Additionally, the NHTSA gave the 2022 K5 a five-star crash-test rating. The IIHS has yet to release information on the 2023 K5.
2023 Kia K5 Trims & Pricing
LXS – $26,185
The base K5 comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, remote start, variable wipers, LED DRLs, and illuminated door handles.
GT-Line – $27,585
The GT-Line adds a black rear spoiler, LED fog lights, LED tail lights, 18-inch wheels, faux-leather upholstery, a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a wireless device charging pad. Those who add AWD will also get heated seats and a heated steering wheel.
EX – $30,085
The EX gets 18-inch wheels, gloss-black trim, wood interior trim, leather upholstery, rear climate vents, ventilated front seats, and LED interior lighting.
GT – $32,585
The top trim GT gets 19-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, a surround-view camera system, paddle shifters, bigger brakes, four exhaust outlets, and sports seats.
Warranties
Kia offers the strongest warranty in the business only matched by its corporate partner Hyundai. It includes 10 years or 100,000 miles worth of powertrain coverage along with five years or 60,000 miles of limited coverage. The only thing that Hyundai offers that Kia doesn’t is a long period of complimentary maintenance. Rivals like Honda with its Accord don’t even come close.
What We Think
2023 Kia K5 – kiamedia.com | Shop 2023 Kia K5 on Carsforsale.com
There’s little question that the Kia K5 is a great value for money. Its interior quality, driving dynamics, world-beating warranty coverage, exceptional technology package, and lower-than-average price make it one of the best if not the best in the mid-sized economy sedan segment. With all of the incentives going around this month, we’d recommend checking one out alongside the Hyundai Sonata and the Tesla Model 3.
