2024 Kia EV5 review: Believe the hype, this Model Y rival will give Tesla a run for its money in Australia

In my humble opinion, you are gazing upon (or reading about, at least) the single biggest challenge the Tesla Model Y has faced in Australia to date.

Yes, every new Chinese EV is billed as a Tesla toppler, but they’re rarely the right size, the right price, or carry the right prestige, to actually bring the fight to the Musk massive.

But the Kia EV5? Well that could be a different story.

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It’s bang-on the right size, starts well below the Tesla in terms of price, and is brought to you by a company you might have actually heard of – and one that has a better than average chance of still being here deep into your warranty period.

So, how does the EV5 stack up in the real world? Read on.

2024 Kia EV5 price and equipment

For proof that Kia sees the EV5 as ‘operation Tesla’, look not further than the price, with the cheapest example of the Korean electric SUV seriously undercutting the cheapest Model Y.

That would be the EV5 Air Standard Range, which is the only model in the family to get included drive-away costs, and is yours for $56,770 on the road. For reference, the cheapest Model Y, the single-motor, is around $61k on the road in NSW, so that’s a pretty healthy saving.

That’s where the kindness stops, I’m afraid, with no other EV5 offered with included on-road costs. The Air Long Range is yours at $61,170, the Earth for $64,770 and the GT-Line is $71,770 – all plus on-road costs.

They’re all pretty well equipped, too. Air models get 18-inch alloys, LED lighting and roof racks. In the cabin there are cloth and faux-leather seats with a massage function for the driver, along with a faux leather steering wheel, LED interior lighting and a 2.2kW Vehicle to Load connection in the boot.

Tech is pretty strong at this level, too, with twin 12.3-inch screens including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-speaker stereo and native navigation.

The Earth rides on 19-inch alloys, gets better all-faux-leather seats, a powered tailgate and a standard external V2L connection. Finally, the GT-Line scores 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, “premium relaxation” seats, wireless phone charging, a head-up display and fingerprint recognition.

Now, the important bits. The Air Standard Range gets a 64.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and a claimed range of 400kms. All other models share the same 88.1kWh battery, unlocking a range of 555kms (Air Long Range), 500kms (Earth) and 470kms (GT-Line).

Both Air trims get a single front-mounted electric motor producing 160kW and 310Nm, meaning a sprint to 100km/h beyond eight seconds. The Earth and GT-Line double the motors and up the grunt, to 230kW and 480Nm, unlocking a run to 100km/h in just over six seconds.

Every EV5 cars can take at least 6.6kW home AC charging, while the dual-motor versions are setup for 11kW AC charging. All models can accept 141kW maximum DC charging, taking them from 10 percent to 80 percent in less than 40 minutes.

Every EV5 gets Advanced AEB that includes junction crossing, lane oncoming and lane change side. There’s rear-cross-traffic alert, semi-autonomous highway cruising and a whole heap more, too. But if you want things like a Surround View Monitor, you need to climb all the way to the GT-Line.

In terms of ownership, expect Kia’s seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, and you can prepay your servicing costs for three years at $980, five years at $1535 and seven years at $2431.

2024 Kia EV5: What we think

First things first, I like the look of the EV5, with its modern, angular shape a clear descendent of the bigger EV9, but it’s also a design that doesn’t scream electric vehicle – it really looks like it could be powered by anything.

I also like the way it drives, but more on that in a moment, because both those points would mean diddly squat if it failed at its core task – being a family friendly mid-size SUV. As in, can it carry people and stuff in comfort?

Yep. The EV5 is close to the Tesla Model Y in size (length: 4615mm, width: 1875mm, height: 1715mm, wheelbase: 2750mm), and it offers plenty of room for backseat passengers. Sitting behind my own driving position, I had acres of space to stretch out, with tons of knee and headroom, and I reckon you could even squeeze three me-sized adults across the backseat.

There are clever touches, too. I love the positioning of the USB charge ports, which are smack-bang in the middle of each seat back, just above the storage pocket, which means you can plug in and tuck your phone and cable away. There’s also a filing-cabinet-style draw between the two front seat backs, which is just a storage bin in the Air and Earth, but is heated and cooled in the GT-Line.

Storage is on point, too, with a 67-litre frunk, and a 513-litre boot with the rear seats in place.

On the road, it doesn’t feel quite as dynamic as the much larger EV9 – or the sublime EV6 GT – but it all plays into the EV5’s role as a comfortable, easy family transporter.

I don’t love the artificial weight of the steering, nor the notable wind noise in the cabin at speed, but they are seriously small quirks in an otherwise very comfortable drive experience in which the EV5 does exactly what’s expected of it.

Even the acceleration, while not headline grabbing, suits the nature of this EV. A 3.0-second zero-to-100km/h time sounds fun, and it is, right up until the moment you’re wearing one of your kid’s frozen Cokes as a hat because you got a bit too enthusiastic at a green light.

The ride is compliant enough to be comfortable without feeling weirdly disconnected, and the EV5 will stay stable and grip firmly should you encounter a twisting road, too.

Honestly, we covered a heap of kilometres in all sorts of conditions and found little to complain about.

2024 Kia EV5: Verdict

The headlines are finally true: This is an EV that can take on the Model Y, if only Kia can convince the Elon faithful to give the EV5 a try.

SCORE: 4/5

Kia EV5 specifications
Price: From $56,770 (plus on-road costs)
Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doors, midsize SUV, FWD or AWD
Range: 400-555kms (WLTP)
Battery capacity: 64.2 – 88.1kWh
Battery warranty: 7 years/unlimited
Motor: 1 front synchronous, 160kW/310Nm, 2 front and rear, 230kW/480Nm
AC charging: 6.6/11kW, Type 2 plug
DC charging: 102/140kW, CCS combo plug
0-100km/h: From 6.1s