New EV5 furthers Kia’s electric offensive

Kia’s new EV5 electric SUV has arrived on the scene to ‘redefine sustainable mobility’.

Building on top of the firm’s EV6 and EV9 models, the new EV5 enters into the busy compact electric SUV segment but aims to deliver more space than drivers expect from this category.

Taking inspiration from the larger EV9, Kia has made the EV5 as spacious as possible with images showcasing the model’s large boot with the rear seats folded completely flat. The cabin of the EV5 is also said to be closer in execution to a ‘home lounge than a traditional car cabin’ with variable mood lighting dotted throughout the interior. There is also adjustable brightness for the interior, with ten shades defined by Kia’s lighting experts.

The lighting automatically dims at night and synchronises with the selected driving modes, too. It will also alert the driver if they stray over the speed limit.

Kia says that its new generation of navigation and heater controls can be controlled with the ‘same ease as if they were sitting in their favourite chair at home’. The images show a large widescreen setup, with what appears to be a row of haptic feedback buttons located underneath. The steering wheel also has multifunction buttons.

The exterior of the car takes some significant design cues from the larger EV9, with a modern interpretation of Kia’s ‘Tiger Nose’ combined with full-width lighting at both the front and rear. Kia has yet to unveil any full technical details for the EV5 and has said that though initially launched in China, it’ll also be available in ‘select’ global markets. It’s not yet confirmed if it will be sold in the UK.