2021 Kia K5 vs 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI

The 2021 Kia K5 represented a fresh identity for Kia, moving away from the drab designs of the past. With its fastback form and GT-Line trim, the K5 resembled an Audi A5 Sportback, thanks to the influence of Peter Schreyer, Kia's chief designer. The K5 featured a sleek design with a long rear window, unique taillights, and a polished black trim. Despite some fake air vents and exhaust tips, the K5's proportions made it sportier than its predecessor, the Optima. The interior was equally impressive, with a driver-focused dash, red seats, and quality materials throughout, exuding sportiness and quality.

The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI, although claiming all-new body panels, retained a familiar look to its predecessor. The new GTI was longer and lower, with a stable silhouette and nimble handling. The front end featured a subtle honeycomb-patterned air intake and a signature red accent line between the LED headlights. Aerodynamic improvements included redesigned side-view mirrors and underbody paneling. The GTI came with red brake calipers and varying wheel sizes depending on the trim. The interior offered plaid cloth seats as standard, with leather upholstery available on higher trims, and retained the classic golf-ball shifter knob for manual transmission models.

The 2021 Kia K5's GT-Line trim, despite its aggressive styling, lacked the verve of a true sports sedan. The suspension had softer damping, and the Pirelli P Zero All-Season tires protested in tight turns. The GT-Line was more of an appearance package, with good brakes and communicative steering but fell short on handling. The GT trim promised better performance with a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine producing 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, but it was front-wheel drive only. The standard engine was a 1.6-liter turbo-four with 180 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, offering good fuel economy at 27 mpg city, 37 mpg highway, and 31 mpg combined for FWD models.

The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI, on the other hand, delivered 241 horsepower from a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, with 273 pound-feet of torque available at a low 1,750 rpm. The GTI offered a choice between a six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (DSG) with paddle shifters. The GTI's retuned suspension, electronic torque-sensing limited-slip differential, and various drive modes provided excellent handling and a comfortable ride. The EPA estimated fuel economy at 24 mpg city, 34 highway, and 28 combined for the manual transmission, with a slight uptick for the automatic.

The 2021 Kia K5 offered comfortable seating for two adults in the back, despite its raked profile. The front seats were supportive and firm, ideal for long drives. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with an optional 10-inch display. Trunk space was 16 cubic feet before folding down the rear seats. However, rear air vents were missing, which was a drawback.

The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI provided 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, expanding to 34.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The GTI's center stack was angled toward the driver, and the "light and sight" panel offered a unique solution for adjusting headlights and defogging settings. Rear legroom was surprisingly good, making the GTI suitable for a family of four.

The 2021 Kia K5 came with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, along with LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, and lane-keep assist. The GT-Line trim added 18-inch wheels, fog lights, and a power driver's seat. The EX trim offered heated and ventilated seats, a Bose stereo system, and a 10-inch infotainment display. The GT trim included paddle shifters and 19-inch wheels, with adaptive cruise control available.

The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI featured a fully digital driver information display with customizable gauge layouts and ambient lighting profiles. The infotainment system included an 8.25-inch touchscreen on the S trim and a 10-inch display with navigation on higher trims. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were standard, along with a 9-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system on the SE and Autobahn trims. Volkswagen's Car-Net system offered various remote access and emergency assistance features, with some available at additional costs.

The 2021 Kia K5 was too new to be rated by NHTSA or IIHS, but it came with a strong chassis and body shell. Standard safety features included rear side airbags, a driver's knee airbag, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear emergency braking, and parking sensors.

The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI came with Volkswagen's IQ.Drive, offering adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and rear traffic alert. However, IQ.Drive was only available on automatic GTIs. Park Distance Control was standard on all trims, with Park Assist available on the Autobahn trim. Neither NHTSA nor IIHS had crash-tested the 2022 GTI at the time of writing.