2023 Kia K5 Review

Name: 2023 Kia K5
Brand: Kia

Price Range: $19,590 - $29,995

The 2023 Kia K5 has the style and substance to set it apart from other midsize family sedans. It's incredibly easy to drive and comfortable on longer trips thanks to a great suspension and an exceptionally quiet cabin. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration is standard, and that's just the beginning of a rich feature list that somehow manages to undercut the competition at every level.

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2023 Kia K5 Review

Pros

Comfortable and quiet on the highway
Strong turbocharged engine in the GT trim level
Plenty of available technology features
Impressive value

Cons

Sloping roofline can make it a little tricky to get in and out of the back
Powerful GT trim doesn't live up to its performance potential

What's new

LX trim discontinued
Sound-reducing front windows on EX, GT-Line and GT trims
Part of the first K5 generation introduced for 2021

Overview

Written by automotive expert Michael Cantu

10/28/2022

The K5 is Kia's midsize sedan that replaced the Optima in 2021 after it received a redesign. As of this writing, it tops our midsize sedan rankings. The Honda Accord, another of our favorite sedans, is ranked just below the K5 but costs more. The K5's sleek and stylish exterior is a breath of fresh air in a segment that tends to play it safe when it comes to looks. Its interior sports a modern design that borders on luxury-brand levels of refinement in the higher trims. Changes for the 2023 model year will likely be minimal and consist mostly of updates to feature availability.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Woodson, TX

1,243 listings

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2023 Kia K5
GT Sedan
$22,519
great price
- 65,620 miles
- 1 accident, 1 owner, personal use only
- 24 City / 32 Hwy MPG
- North Park Lexus At Dominion (235 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Sunroof/Moonroof
- Keyless Entry/Start
Close
Located in San Antonio, TX
Navigation System. CARFAX One-Owner.Posted Pricing on all vehicles.North Park Lexus at Dominion is pumped up to offer this superb 2023 Kia K5 GT. Well...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
27 Combined MPG (24 City/32 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5XXG44J86PG187431
Stock: UDG187431
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-14-2025
2023 Kia K5
GT-Line Sedan
$21,395
great price
- 71,298 miles
- No accidents, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 27 City / 37 Hwy MPG
- AutoNation Ford Katy (297 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Keyless Entry/Start
- Upgraded Headlights
Close
Located in Katy, TX
The following items have been reconditioned on this vehicle: new suspension parts! Gt-Line Premium PackageNavigation SystemPassion RedEc Mirror ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
31 Combined MPG (27 City/37 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: 5XXG64J20PG206819
Stock: PG206819
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 08-18-2025

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Besides its standout styling, the K5 is supremely comfortable, boasts loads of value, packs impressive tech and offers a powerful GT model. All-wheel drive is available on certain trims, but not the high-end GT version, meaning you'll have to make do with front-wheel drive on the most powerful version. Fuel economy is on par with segment leaders, and its trunk is bigger than the Toyota Camry's.

The K5 is one of the sportiest-looking sedans on the road, but it doesn't drive the way it looks. Power is sufficient, the transmission is smooth and handling is competent, but the K5 won't get your heart racing. The top GT trim (not to be confused with the midlevel GT-Line trim) has potential, yet its front-wheel-drive-only configuration holds it back.

Another impressive midsize sedan to consider is the Hyundai Sonata. It's the K5's mechanical twin and offers similar features and powertrains, plus a hybrid model. If you want to know what our test team thinks about the Kia K5, check out our in-depth review in the Edmunds' Expert Rating below.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

Driven, tested, rated by automotive expert Mark Takahashi

Great

8.3

out of 10

We drove the 2023 Kia K5 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the K5 drive? The Kia K5 with its standard 180-horsepower engine won't impress you, but power is more than sufficient for daily use. It matches the Honda Accord in a straight line, taking 8 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph from a stop. Stopping from 60 mph requires a few more feet than average, but otherwise braking is easy and smooth.

The K5's aggressive styling might suggest it's sportier than usual, but that's simply not the case. We'd call the steering and handling par for the course. But perhaps what's more important is the K5 is easy to drive. The transmission shifts pretty seamlessly and is responsive to downshifts when you need to pass.

Comfort

8.5/10

How comfortable is the K5? This is a big step forward from the Optima. The only minor annoyance was a slight rattle coming from the panoramic sunroof blind. Otherwise, the K5 is as silent on the highway as some luxury sedans. Seriously. The front seats provide decent comfort over several hours, with a good amount of cushioning and moderate support from the side bolsters. The suspension ably soaks up road imperfections and avoids feeling overly soft.

We're also impressed with the climate control system that features a unique three-mode auto setting that can limit fan speed. Seat ventilation is available on higher trims.

Interior

8/10

How’s the interior? The K5's interior is thoughtfully designed to be user-friendly. Despite the many electronic features, all the controls are well labeled and logically placed and there was no need to consult the owner's manual.

The cabin is relatively spacious too, with a modest amount of headroom but an abundance of legroom. Tall adults should have no problem fitting up front, though. Forward visibility is great thanks to unusually narrow front roof pillars. Rear visibility is squeezed a bit by a tall rear decklid, but it doesn't create any notable obstructions.

Technology

8.5/10

How’s the tech? The K5 may not look like a tech powerhouse, but it is. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity is standard, which is a rarity in any class at the moment. There's also an available wireless charging pad that features a cooling fan and a smart spring-loaded section that keeps your phone in place. The standard system has an 8-inch touchscreen that's easy to use, though it does have a slight delay in responses. This system's physical shortcut buttons are preferred to the upgraded 10.25-inch screen that has capacitive touch buttons that are difficult to locate without looking. Our tester also had a total of four USB charge ports.

The excellent advanced driver aids returned no false alarms. The optional Smart Cruise Control enhances the existing adaptive cruise control by slowing down the K5 when approaching a curve in the road. Collectively, it's one of the best systems in the segment.

Storage

8.5/10

How’s the storage? Despite the K5's fastback roofline, it's not a hatchback. The traditional trunk has a capacity of 16 cubic feet, which is slightly better than average, and the wide and low opening makes for easy loading of bulky objects. The seatback releases are located in the trunk, making it convenient to load longer items.

The cabin offers plenty of places to store your personal items, including a charging pad, another rubberized phone tray and a big center armrest bin. Fitting a large infant seat should pose no problems, and the anchors are easy to access.

Fuel Economy

8/10

How’s the fuel economy? Fuel economy estimates are 31 mpg combined (27 city/37 highway), matching the efficiency of most other base-engine sedans in this class. These estimates should be accurate after what we saw on our standard 115-mile evaluation loop. Our route is highway-biased but includes a mix of city and mountain roads as well, and we observed an encouraging 33 mpg.

Value

8.5/10

Is the K5 a good value? The Kia K5 starts under $25K and holds a slight advantage over most sedans when it comes to dollar-per-feature. The price and feature ratio improves with each successive trim level. There are some things missing from the options list such as genuine leather upholstery (the K5 has simulated leather), an auto-dimming mirror and a head-up display, but we're convinced most will look beyond that. A fully loaded K5 will save a few thousand dollars over a comparable Honda Accord.

The K5 is solidly built to boot, using a good amount of quality interior materials that outshine what's in other sedans in the class. Hard plastics are still present, but they're strategically placed away from high-touch areas to keep up appearances. Kia's warranty coverage is top-notch with 10 years/100,000 miles for the powertrain and five years/60,000 miles of basic coverage. Only Hyundai offers more.

Wildcard

8.5/10

The exterior styling is a standout in a traditionally dull sedan class. It rivals the Mazda 6 for presence, though it dials up the sporty aggression factor noticeably. It's one of those cars that you could admire for a few seconds before getting in.

We have fairly low expectations for performance and entertainment in the family sedan class, but the K5 represents itself well enough. Is it fun? Not in this trim, but the K5 GT certainly has potential.

2023 Kia K5 trim level differences

The 2023 Kia K5 is available in four trim levels: LXS, GT-Line, EX and GT. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional for the LXS and GT-Line. Standard and optional feature highlights include:

Which K5 trim does Edmunds recommend?

We suggest going with the GT-Line trim level. Without getting too expensive, the midlevel GT-Line enhances the sportiness of this already sporty-looking sedan and includes some appealing features like a power-adjustable driver's seat, wireless smartphone charging pad, cloth and simulated leather upholstery, and the larger 10.25-inch touchscreen display.

Compare 2023 Kia K5 trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$109/mo

$143/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

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Kia K5 Owner Reviews

4.6

54 reviews

5(82%)

4(9%)

3(0%)

2(2%)

1(7%)

See all 54 reviews Write a vehicle review

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Best mid sized sedan for 2022

Tommy, 02/11/2022

2022 Kia K5 GT-Line 4dr Sedan AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I purchased the K5 GT-line in December. My wife and I were initially going to purchase a 2022 Camry, but after stumbling across the K5 on google. The aesthetics of the car peaked my interest, although I was worried that such a good looking car was still a Kia at the end of the day. After a bit a research I was sold, and to be honest the change in the Kia logo was a major determining …

Two steps forward, two steps backward

PF, 08/24/2022

2023 Kia K5 EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I had a 2019 Kia Optima EX. I traded it in for a 2023 Kia K5 EX with the Premium package, home link mirror, puddle lights and mud flaps. The good; I think the car looks great! sporty exterior and the interior is well thought out. The lane keeping assist is fantastic and improved over the 2019 version I had in the Optima. The 360 camera is really useful. I like the radio, … intuitive... The split screen large display is very nice. Ventilated seats work great, lots of space in the cabin and trunk. The gas mileage is also excellent, up to 41 mpg in a tank so far! The Bad; Items missing... Smart Cruise control sensitivity adjustment is not included, my car will jump up to 6,000 rpm when making speed adjustments. It red lines at 6500. A jarring experience which is hurting my insurance score for aggressive acceleration violations as a result. The 2019 Optima SCC was adjustable. The K5 brouchure lists this adjustment as standard, it is not. No interior LED accent lighting (the 2019 Optima had this). The mirrors fold when the car is locked, however you cannot disable the feature. Not looking forward to ice storms this winter with my mirror locked in the folded position due to icing. The K5 brochure lists the disable function as a feature with instructions on how to use it, but it is not included. No rain sensing wipers for 2023, they had them in 2022. Finally, the seats are NOT leather. The material feels like a rubber wet suit, it is not smooth or easy to move around on and the material gets much hotter than leather. I bought the top trim level based on the features listed in the brochure, some of which I had also enjoyed in the K5 EX's 2019 counterpart. Other features advertised would constitute an improvement over the 2019 version, but they don't exist as advertised. The K5 EX cost $11,000 more than the top of the line Optima did 3 years ago. I wouldn't mind IF the some of the quality and convenience features were not missing or been downgraded. If I would have known of the downgraded features and had sat in the seats for a while before purchasing, I probably would have gotten an accord. It has leather seats and all the convenience features that were dropped for the 2023 K5. With the supply chain issues there were no cars available to test drive over a 3 month period. Normally one could take a close look at a vehicle before deciding. Not the case currently. I hope this information is helpful to you in making a purchasing decision.

This Car Keeps Surprising Me!

KiaLover76011, 09/01/2021

2022 Kia K5 EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

I've had this car a little over a month now and I keep finding features that make me fall in love with it all over again! The UVO and remote start are great features to help cool the car before getting in on hot summer days. It's quiet, rides better than my Sportage did and feels upscale. I was leaning more towards the Sonata N-Line, but so glad I decided to check out the K5. Even though …

K5: Easy on the eyes, and a nice place to be.

Ryan S, 02/12/2022

2022 Kia K5 EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

Got the EX variant with all the fancy options on board. Exterior looks quite sharp; sporty vibe to it but also mature. Arguably the best looking sedan on the market (for us plebes anyway). The chrome strip that goes along the roofline over the doors and C-pillar is a head-scratching decision but that's the only demerit about it's styling that comes to mind. Aside from that Kia nailed it. … Once inside, the interior's looks keep up. The "aluminum" and dark "wood" trim along the dash and doors give an upscale vibe, and the way the big screen molds to the instrument cluster give you the impression of being in a pricier, well thought out and appointed cabin. The screen is fast, responsive, and user-friendly. The Bose stereo has speakers everywhere and has great clarity and nice depth and range but you're not gonna think you have 12" subs in the back or anything. Adaptive cruise control works well. Lane-keep assist is good, will even handle mild/moderate curves with a little faith and some caution, but even on straight lanes can tend to get a little pinball-y on occasion; weaving left and right (but still inside) in the lane like it had a couple drinks. All the various warnings and cautions rarely ever give false positives so no worry of annoyances there. Plenty of spots to charge electronics, and it's nice the car reminds you your phone's still in the wireless charge slot when you open the door to get out. The fact you have to physically plug your phone in to a specific USB port under the center stack for Android auto or Apple carplay to work is kinda lame though. On the comfort side of things the K5 is pretty good. The driver's seat and surroundings is roomy, and all the buttons and screens are still easily reachable. The seat itself is nice and supportive; comfortable enough to not give you many complaints even on a longer road trip, but it's hard not to shake the feeling that the leatherette material isn't exactly premium, and the center arm rest is too firm for boney elbows. Upon close inspection you will find some cheaper plastics about, but Kia has mostly placed these below your typical line of sight and considering the MSRP, you can expect some cost cutting somewhere. The seating position feels high for a car but I guess that means SUV people won't feel as out of place. For the passengers, they'll be in good company. The back seats have a surprising amount of legroom and are raked back far enough to get your slouch on and chill. When it comes to driving dynamics it's above average but not mind-blowing. The cabin is well insulated from both wind and road noise and the engine sounds and vibration are dampened good too. The standard engine has enough power for your everyday needs and can handle both city and highway acceleration good enough to get you out of trouble or into position, but it ain't gonna throw you back in the seat or impress you. If you have cruise control on and go up a moderate grade, you'll drop a few mph initially until the power catches up. The automatic transmission does a pretty good job; shifts quick and doesn't have to hunt for the right gear, although if you suddenly decide to step on it you'll be waiting a bit for the power to show up, but once it gets the idea it keeps up with your inputs. The steering is light and responsive albeit a little numb in terms of giving feedback of what's going on under the wheels. Body roll is well controlled and the suspension handles bumps and dips decently to give a ride compliant enough to not notice too much and have little complaint from the driver most of the time, but sudden sharp and small bumps will come through just often and mildly enough to remind you this isn't exactly a luxury sedan. The suspension seems like Kia was attempting to set it up as sporty and plush at the same time while falling just short of both; jack-of-all-trades kinda scenario. But 99% of the time for 99% of use cases for 99% of people looking into buying a car like this these complaints aren't of much concern. The suspension and drivetrain as a whole is good, not great but pretty good. Avoid the autocross circuit and fire roads and just let the car do what it does best; take you to work, grab groceries, go on the occasional road trip and you'll be more than happy with the arrangement. All things considered this is a pretty sweet ride. Looks great, drives good, feels nice, and a fair price. Gotta say I am very happy with my purchase and look forward to putting on many miles and memories with it.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2023 Kia K5, so we've included reviews for other years of the K5 since its last redesign.

See all 54 reviews of the Kia K5

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2023 K5 Highlights

Trim:

LXS

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$25,290
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$109/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	5 years / 60,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the K5 models:

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist: Warns if a front collision is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time.
Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist: Warns if a vehicle is lurking in your blind spot and applies the brakes if you continue to move into the occupied lane.
Lane Keeping Assist: Alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its marked lane and keeps the car centered within those markings.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover10.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2023 Kia K5 Review

Appraise my car

Price & Payment

2023 Kia K5 Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

For sale near Woodson, TX

2023 Kia K5GT Sedan

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

2023 Kia K5GT-Line Sedan

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

2023 Kia K5 trim level differences

Which K5 trim does Edmunds recommend?

Cost to Drive

Kia K5 Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Best mid sized sedan for 2022

Two steps forward, two steps backward

This Car Keeps Surprising Me!

K5: Easy on the eyes, and a nice place to be.

2023 K5 Highlights

Safety

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