2021 Kia K5 vs 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2021 Kia K5 marked a bold departure from Kia’s previous designs. Replacing the Optima, it introduced a fresh identity for the brand. The K5's design was undeniably striking. With its fastback silhouette, reminiscent of the sportier Kia Stinger, the K5 stood out prominently. The GT-Line trim level with its Wolf Gray paint and red seats brought out a nearly Audi A5 Sportback-like appearance, reinforcing its European-inspired aesthetics. Notably, the vehicle featured a long ovoid rear window, sculpted taillights with unique dashed LEDs, and a grille that carried subtle but elegant textures. Even though some features, like the fake air vents and exhaust tips, didn't serve a practical purpose, they were tastefully designed to enhance the sporty impression of the K5. The interior matched this external flair with its well-thought-out layout, split between the driver and passenger zones, red seats with black accents, and high-quality materials throughout. The K5’s dashboard, with its polished black trim and intricate detailing, exuded a premium feel that was previously missing in Kia’s lineup.

Conversely, the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid presented itself with refined elegance. Available in trims from standard to Touring, this model year included updates like a new grille for better Honda Sensing integration, revised bumpers, and new headlight designs. The Accord Hybrid Touring we tested boasted a sophisticated Lunar Silver paint job that avoided the typical drabness of metallic silver. It was equipped with new, stylish 19-inch aluminum wheels, though they were a tad difficult to clean. The Accord’s Lunar Silver exterior, combined with a black interior, gave the car an upscale appearance. The interior did not fall short, with simulated matte-finish wood trim, robust controls, and polished metallic accents. However, the plastic upper rear door trim could have been better. Despite this, the vehicle’s cabin layout was user-friendly and logically designed. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment with both volume and tuning knobs was a blessing. The visibility inside was excellent, and the driver could easily maneuver the car thanks to a clear view of the sculpted hood.

Performance-wise, the 2021 Kia K5's GT-Line trim didn't live up to its sporty appearance when driven. It lacked paddle shifters and its softer suspension couldn't handle tight turns adeptly. Equipped with Pirelli P Zero All-Season tires, the K5 exhibited underwhelming agility. However, on the plus side, it boasted good brakes and communicative steering, offering a balanced ride. The more powerful GT trim promised better performance with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine producing 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. This power, however, was fed exclusively through the front wheels, potentially compromising handling without an all-wheel-drive option. The K5's base engine, a 1.6-liter turbo-four, delivered 180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, providing sufficient power for most driving situations. It paired well with the eight-speed automatic transmission but could sometimes falter at midrange speeds. In terms of fuel efficiency, the K5 impressed with an EPA-estimated 27 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined for the FWD model. We achieved nearly 36 mpg during our test, mainly on highways.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid’s performance shined with its two-motor hybrid system, combining a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor setup to produce 212 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain made the Accord Hybrid feel quick off the line, reaching 60 mph in approximately 6.5 seconds. The most notable aspect was its excellent fuel efficiency, with most trims achieving 48 mpg in combined driving, although the Touring trim managed 43 mpg due to its larger wheels. Honda's hybrid system seamlessly transitioned between three operational modes: EV Drive for low speeds, Hybrid Drive for supplementing with gas power, and Engine Drive for direct gasoline engine propulsion. Drivers could also manually select between EV Mode, Econ Mode, and Sport Mode. The 2021 model saw improvements in throttle response and sound refinement, making the driving experience even better than previous years. Moreover, the Accord Hybrid’s handling was also commendable, featuring an athletic suspension setup that balanced ride comfort with sporty dynamics. Its brake-by-wire regenerative braking system provided excellent feel and responsiveness.

In terms of interior space, both the 2021 Kia K5 and the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid delivered, albeit in slightly different ways. The K5 could comfortably seat two adults in the back even with its raked profile. There were clever design touches like scalloped portions of the roof and front seatbacks to increase headroom and legroom, accommodating taller passengers easily. However, the absence of rear air vents was a downside, particularly in 2021. Upfront, the K5 featured supportive and firm seats, hard buttons for essential controls, and a well-placed wireless charging pad. Trunk space was competitive at 16 cubic feet, expandable by folding down the rear seats.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid excelled in spaciousness, blurring lines between a midsize and a full-size sedan. It featured a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat and a vast rear seat that offered excellent leg support. The Touring trim added luxury with heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats. The interior storage was generous, with a spacious center console bin, covered compartments, door panel bins, and availability of wireless smartphone charging. The Accord Hybrid’s trunk space was a standout, at 16.7 cubic feet, which was larger than any competitor in the segment. Its deep trunk allowed easy storage of full-size suitcases, and the 60/40 split-folding rear seats augmented its practicality.

When it came to technology, the 2021 Kia K5 offered a suite of features aimed at convenience and ease of use. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, making smartphone integration straightforward. However, occasionally, Apple CarPlay would fail to restart autonomously if the phone moved out of range and returned. Standard features on the base LX trim included LED headlights, auto high beams, dual-zone climate control, lane-keep assist, and more, though folding rear seats and push-button start were absent. The LXS trim added those essentials, and the GT-Line brought aesthetic upgrades and functionality enhancements like bigger wheels, fog lights, rear USB ports, and power driver’s seat. The EX trim featured heated and ventilated seats, rear air vents, a premium audio system, and a larger 10-inch touchscreen. The GT trim added paddle shifters, 19-inch wheels, and extra performance hardware. Equipped with adaptive cruise control, the K5 provided semi-autonomous driving capabilities.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid improved its technological offerings by making the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system standard across all trims, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. EX trim introduced wireless connectivity for these platforms, along with improved USB port access and 2.5-amp quick-charge USB ports for rear passengers. Wireless smartphone charging was also part of the EX trim and above. The EX-L trim included a premium sound system, while the Touring trim came with navigation, HondaLink subscription services, and a WiFi hotspot. Despite its overall effectiveness, the voice command system required specific prompts, lacking natural language processing. The navigation system had issues locating nearby vital services, a critical functionality feature.

The 2021 Kia K5 hasn't yet been rated by NHTSA or IIHS, but its robust chassis and body shell suggest top scores are imminent. It came with numerous standard safety features, including rear side airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, and electronic aids like forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, and driver attention monitoring. LXS and above trims included blind-spot monitoring with Safe Exit Assist, while the GT-Line Premium package added cyclist detection and Junction Turning. Higher trims like EX included advanced features like rear emergency braking and parking sensors.

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid aimed for a higher safety rating with redesigned LED headlights, addressing past issues that prevented a Top Safety Pick+ rating. The new lights are standard across all trims, with full LED from the EX trim onwards. The Accord Hybrid also included a rear-seat reminder and a rear seatbelt reminder system as standard. The Touring model gained low-speed braking control for preventing minor collisions while parking. Honda Sensing, the suite of advanced driving assistance systems, included refinements for adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, although further transparency in operation was needed. The lane departure warning could be more intuitive with a steering wheel vibration instead of a wobble. Additionally, the low-speed braking control needed recalibration for varying payloads.