2024 Kia K5 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

While shooting photos on a back road popular with cyclists, we heard a group approaching from behind, commenting on our K5 GT-Line test car, painted in extra-cost Passion Red Tint Coat. It was clear they liked the color and liked the car. One asked another member of the group, “What is that?” Another answered: “It’s the new Kia.”

Well, not exactly. The K5 has been around since 2021 when it replaced the Optima in the automaker’s lineup. We don’t know if the name change was a smart move or not, but it seems like most Americans don’t know the K5 exists. That’s our takeaway after spending a week driving the great-looking car around Southern California, drawing stares from passers-by.

The GT-Line is one step up from the base LXS trim and one step down from the more upscale EX. If you want a budget sports sedan, the K5 GT is the one to get. Base prices range from $25,390 to $31,790, plus a $1,125 destination charge.

According to the test vehicle’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), it had the extra-cost paint job, a Premium Package, a Panoramic Sunroof Package, floor mats, and a carpeted trunk mat. These extras brought the as-tested price to $30,530, including the destination charge. In a world where so many things cost so much more than you expect, the 2024 Kia K5 GT-Line’s sticker price is miraculous.

However, for that money, you can’t expect impeccable quality in the cabin, and the K5 has its share of inexpensive-looking plastic. But the interior design and detailing are outstanding. From the textured metallic trim around the air vents to a robust transmission shifter that exudes refinement and quality with each gear change, you may find it easy to excuse the car’s preponderance of hard, glossy surfaces.

Kia specs most versions of the 2024 Kia K5 come with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder base engine making 180 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 195 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm. It pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels. An all-wheel-drive system is available with GT-Line trim.

Step up to the K5 GT model for a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder generating 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 311 lb-ft from 1,650 rpm to 4,000 rpm. It employs an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and is available only with front-wheel drive.

Drivers can choose between Smart, Normal, Sport, and Custom driving modes. With AWD, there is a Snow mode. The K5 GT gets an exclusive Sport+ mode with launch control. In addition, the GT features a sport-tuned suspension, quicker steering, bigger brakes, and larger alloy wheels with more aggressive rubber.

Don’t confuse the K5 GT-Line we tested with the K5 GT. It gets the sporty look, and that’s all. But, it is supposed to be more fuel efficient than the high-powered GT, earning an official EPA rating of 31 mpg in combined driving with FWD (28 mpg with AWD). The GT slurps gas at a rate of 27 mpg.

Unfortunately, our test car got nowhere near the EPA estimate. It fell so far short that during a day trip to Solvang, California, we had to check to make sure there wasn’t an “AWD” emblem on the trunk lid. Or gas leaking from the tank.

On the evaluation loop, using Normal mode except when driving on the twisting roads of the Santa Monica Mountains in Sport mode, the K5 GT-Line’s turbocharged four-cylinder returned 23.8 mpg. Over the course of nearly 300 miles in widely variable driving situations, the car averaged 24.5 mpg. The car’s gas mileage reminded us of one of our favorite Saturday Night Live skits featuring Melissa Villaseñor and Selena Gomez (#thatssad).

Otherwise, the K5 GT-Line is a delight to drive. The turbo four delivers a healthy amount of torque starting at just 1,500 rpm, and it sounds good as you accelerate, the transmission delivering rapid, decisive shifts. However, passing power is in short supply at the upper reaches of the rev range, so be patient.

Kia expertly tunes the GT-Line’s suspension, deftly blending compliance for a comfortable ride quality with impressive control of squat, dive, and roll in corners and curves. Driven with enthusiasm, the GT-Line’s dynamics are predictable and trustworthy. It’s too bad the electric steering is column-mounted rather than rack-mounted because it is decidedly mid.

Also, if you’re going to zoom around in the mountains, get the K5 GT. The GT-Line’s brakes are not up to the task, fading significantly during our evaluation. In daily driving situations, they’re fine, and the pedal feels great underfoot.

All Kia K5 models have acoustic sound-absorbing windshield glass, and all but the base LXS get this for the front door window glass, too. It’s remarkably effective, making the K5 GT-Line remarkably quiet inside.

In addition to style, the Kia K5 supplies plenty of comfort and utility. And, though it doesn’t contain the automaker’s terrific digital instrumentation, the legible analog gauges work fine.

With GT-Line trim, Kia equips the K5 with SynTex artificial leather and cloth seat inserts. Full SynTex is standard with EX and GT trim, and if it’s as sticky as what our GT-Line had, it can hamper entry and exit depending on what you’re wearing. We found blue jeans generate too much friction.

Our test car had a 10-way power driver’s seat, and all K5 models provide a manual front passenger’s seat height adjuster. Other automakers should take note of this standard feature and the K5’s optional 10-way power front-passenger seat with EX and GT trim.

Dual-zone automatic climate control is standard, and all but the base K5 LXS have heated front seats. You can get a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats with K5 EX and GT trim. The heated wheel is standard on the GT-Line with AWD.

Our test car had the optional panoramic glass sunroof, and it’s a treat at the price. We found the front seats comfortable for hours at a time, and the back seat provided excellent support and a perfect position. The legroom is generous, too. However, with the panoramic sunroof, taller adults might complain about headroom. Unfortunately, rear air conditioning vents are available only with EX and GT trim.

Kia provides generous storage areas throughout the interior, though many have plastic linings that allow scraping noises if you store hard items in them and they slide around, such as house keys.

The K5’s cargo space measures 16 cubic feet. Use the remote keyless entry fob to pop the trunk, and the lid swings all the way open. Or, turn on the Smart Trunk function, which only requires that you stand behind the K5 for a few seconds with the key on your person before it opens wide.

The Kia K5 LXS has a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while others get a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, wireless in the LXS and requiring a wired connection in the more expensive versions of the K5. That’s the opposite of what you might expect.

Both systems have Bluetooth support for multiple devices, and the larger display provides a navigation system, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Kia Connect services. Through an active subscription to Kia Connect, you can benefit from 911 Connect, a panic button notification, stolen vehicle recovery, remote start, remote access to certain vehicle features, and notifications related to teen use of the car. A Wi-Fi hotspot is also available.

Another of Kia Connect’s features is a digital voice assistant. Unfortunately, the test car did not have an active subscription, so we could not sample it. The standard voice recognition technology proved hit and miss and isn’t nearly as helpful as Apple’s Siri or Google Assistant. So, bring your USB cable and run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

With the larger display, you also get a wireless phone charging pad. A 12-speaker Bose audio system is optional with EX and GT trim.

Every 2024 K5 has Kia Drive Wise, a collection of advanced driver-assistance systems. They include forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, active blind-spot monitoring, active rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and a safe exit warning system.

In addition, the standard safety features list includes automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and a rear-seat reminder system. To combat driver distraction, a Leading Vehicle Departure Alert sounds when traffic ahead is moving again.

Upgrades include cyclist detection, automatic intersection braking, front and rear parking sensors, rear automatic braking when parking, a surround-view camera, and an active safe exit warning system. You can also equip the K5 with adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, a navigation-based version of that feature with curve speed control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA).

With HDA, the adaptive cruise control works with a lane-centering assist system to create a semi-autonomous highway driving aid. It requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel, though if you let go, it can travel a surprisingly long distance before issuing a warning.

In our opinion, the smooth, refined, and accurate HDA is one of the best systems of its kind. On northbound Pacific Coast Highway driving out of Malibu, it effortlessly handled the curves. On the freeway running past Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, it ignored exit and entrance ramps. On the dirty two-lane farm roads nearby, it detected lane markings that other systems often can’t see. And when running up the curvy Conejo Grade on the 101 freeway, it turned in a perfect performance.

There is some room for improvement. It needs to react with greater urgency to resume speed after the lane ahead clears of slower traffic. It also failed to navigate a particularly tricky intersection without driver intervention. But overall, it’s an impressive technology.

When it comes to crash tests, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the car high marks. However, in two updated and more challenging tests carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the K5 earns low scores.

Those updated IIHS evaluations measure protection in moderate overlap frontal-impact and side-impact tests, and Kia’s family sedan receives Poor and Marginal ratings in them, respectively. Otherwise, the K5 rates highly for safety.

If not for its poor real-world fuel economy and those two worrisome IIHS crash-test ratings, recommending the 2024 Kia K5 would be easy. The sticker price seems like a bargain, and the car offers one of the best factory warranty plans available. A hybrid powertrain option would resolve one of the issues. The safety-related concern is harder to fix.

Rumor has it a refreshed 2025 Kia K5 is right around the corner. In addition to the usual styling, feature, and technology updates, perhaps Kia will find a way to improve the car’s gas mileage and safety ratings. Otherwise, the investment may be for naught.