2021 Kia K5 GT-Line Drive Review
Kia K5 replaces Optima as the brand’s mid-size family sedan, designed to take on the Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys of the world.
The 2021 model year is proving to be an exceptionally busy time in the world of the mid-size sedan. Both Honda and Toyota are bringing out revised versions of their popular Accord and Camry models, respectively, and Kia has come out swinging with its all-new K5.
Longer, lower and wider than the outgoing Optima it replaces, the K5 is a handsome beast. A chiseled front end sports LED headlights, and this mid-level GT-Line model rolls on split black-and-polished 18-inch wheels. The trailing roof line rolls into the solid LED bar of tail lights, further amping up the curb appeal. All of which is set off by this test model’s Passion Red metallic paintwork.
The interior on this particular K5 is adorned with huge swathes of black, though it is occasionally punctuated by pieces of silver contrast trim. While there are some interesting design elements, like the door speaker grilles, it can seem a touch underwhelming when stacked up against the Honda.
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Fortunately, this $28,400 K5 is truly capacious in a way that the sharp exterior styling can sometimes belie. It’s easily able to fit four 6-foot-plus occupants with an enormous amount of kneeroom to spare, all while simultaneously featuring a trunk that is larger (and more hospitable) than many Los Angeles studio apartments.
K5 is imbued with solid tech out of the box, as it features an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto as standard. For those who want to cut the cable, or, more likely, forget their cables, this is a godsend. A $1,600 GT-Line Premium Package further adds wireless phone charging, a large panoramic sunroof as well as the aforementioned LED projector headlights, along with increased driver assistance aides, like the Smart Cruise Control system, which uses radar to follow traffic and handle stop and go traffic semi-autonomously.
A 1.6-liter turbo four is the sole engine choice at play, and, with 180 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of twist on tap, it feels amply able for the daily commute. For the speed demons out there, the forthcoming K5 GT will feature a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 290 horsepower and a massive 311 lb-ft of torque.
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Fuel economy figures of 27 mpg city, 37 freeway and 31 combined on this front-wheel drive model sound great on paper, though the real world figure of just 26 mpg falls short of those figures. While the K5 can cover great stretches of open American roadways with barely a thimble full of fuel, any measure of around town driving brings the numbers back down to reality, which is not uncommon with modern downsized turbocharged powertrains.
The K5 is relatively agile in the corners and offers a compliant ride, a fully independent suspension with struts up front and a multilink rear ensures that, and though the shock tuning isn’t quite as creamy as the Accord, the K5 can handle a freeway off-ramp with some impressive ability.
A solid offering right out of the box, the Kia K5 will certainly sway many buyers who may otherwise gravitate towards the Accord or Camry, thanks to it’s spaciousness, competitive pricing, as well as the inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
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