Kia EV5 medium SUV revealed, could be here in 2024
Kia has staged the surprise reveal of a medium-sized electric SUV dubbed the Concept EV5.
Rolled out at the brand’s Chinese EV Day, it comes just days after the production version of the large Kia EV9 SUV was revealed.
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And just like the EV9, don’t expect the production version of the EV5 to be too different to the concept, especially as it is only months away from going on-sale in China.
In Australia, we could see the production EV5 as soon as 2024. There is no official confirmation of that, but the local Kia division is dead-set on bringing every EV model it can here.
Around the same size as the orthodox Kia Sportage medium SUV, the EV5’s logical opposition would include the Volkswagen ID.4 (due here in 2024), the Toyota bZ4X (late 2023) and Nissan Ariya (as yet unconfirmed for Australia)
The exterior of the EV5 features a new version of Kia’s Digital Tiger Face and Star Map lighting.
It sits on 21-inch wheels, has a full-length panoramic sunroof with solar panels and a roof spoiler.
The overall look is inspired by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy.
Inside, the EV5 features swivelling seats that could make it into production. They’ve already been confirmed for the EV9 that goes on-sale in Australia before the end of 2023.
The EV5 Concept has suicide rear doors and no B-pillar, which combined with the swivelling seats that turn 90 degrees deliver an uninterrupted view out of the EV5 when parked.
The rear-hinged back doors are unlikely to make it into the showroom though, as they also got dropped from the EV9 in the transition from concept to production.
Expected to be based on a variation of the Hyundai Group’s E-GMP battery electric vehicle architecture, the EV5 is likely to be offered in both rear-and dual-motor all-wheel drive and have a range of 450km or more.
The Concept EV5 has a flat interior floor, a digital panoramic screen that dominates the dashboard and a squircle (squared circle) steering wheel.
Kia says various sustainable items are deployed in the interior, including plant-based materials like seaweed extract and upcycled PET bottles on the seats, doors, dashboard, and headliner.
In a similar vein to the original Honda CR-V medium SUV of the 1990s, the EV5 also has a table (made of wood rather than plastic in this case) that pops out of the boot.
“The Kia Concept EV5 takes influence from the contrast and complementarity of natural landscapes and man-made architecture. It is designed to inspire our customers on every journey, while providing sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions,” Karim Habib, Executive Vice President, and Head of Kia Global Design Center, was quoted as saying in a press release.
“Created for those who seek inventive new ideas, the SUV brings together emotional form language with innovative, user-focused interior architecture.”
