The 2024 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. The K5 also provides lots of features for the money and a long warranty.Read full review
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
Lacks a hybrid powertrain option
What's new
The GT-Line trim gains heated seats
Part of the first K5 generation introduced for 2021
Overview
by the Edmunds Experts
9/26/2023
If you're looking for a stylish alternative to the typical midsize sedan, consider the 2024 Kia K5. The K5 replaced the Optima in 2021 and quickly became our favorite in its class. There were rumors that the K5 might be due for a major refresh this year, but instead it returns mostly unchanged. The only difference is the GT-Line trim now comes with heated seats as standard equipment.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2024 Kia K5 LXS 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.05 per gallon for regular unleaded in Connecticut.
Considering the K5's class-leading status, there really isn't a pressing need for updates or enhancements. It's offered with the choice of two turbocharged engines, with the base engine producing 180 horsepower and the GT increasing output to 290 hp. It would be fair to assume the more powerful GT is the pick for drivers seeking more performance, but it's only offered in front-wheel drive and the tires are easily overwhelmed by the power. It turns out that the supporting GT-Line with all-wheel drive is the driver's choice and also makes sense for those living in rainy and cold climates.
Consumers aren't buying midsize cars like they used to, and the shrinking segment has about half the number of models it did in recent years. That means the K5 has fewer rivals to battle, but those remaining include heavy hitters such as the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry. In addition, the 2024 Kia K5 faces off with an appealingly updated version of the Hyundai Sonata, which it has a lot of mechanical similarities to. Check out our test team's Expert Rating below to learn more about the K5's performance, comfort and more.
Edmunds Expert Rating
edmunds TESTED
by the Edmunds Experts
Great
8.3
out of 10
We drove the 2024 Kia K5 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.
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? 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.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
Save as much as $2,271 with Edmunds Click on the trim you’re interested in to see what Edmunds suggests you should pay to get a good deal. Savings vary by trim; $2,271 refers to estimated savings off of MSRP for the EX trim.
How’s the tech? The K5 may not look like a tech powerhouse, but it is. 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. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity is standard with the 8-inch screen, though not on the 10.25-inch screen. There's an available wireless charging pad that features a cooling fan and a smart spring-loaded section that keeps your phone in place. Our test K5 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.
Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below
Fuel Economy
8/10
How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the K5 gets 31 mpg combined, matching the efficiency of most other base-engine sedans in this class. These estimates should be accurate after what we saw on our standard real-world evaluation route. 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 holds a slight advantage over most sedans when it comes to dollar-per-feature. The price-to-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 synthetic leather) 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.
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.
Which K5 does Edmunds recommend?
We recommend the GT-Line. It is a step up from the base LXS and comes with sportier styling, larger wheels and added standard equipment. The GT-Line trim is also your ticket to the optional all-wheel-drive system.
I've had horrible luck with my 2024 Kia k5 GT that I got less than 6 months ago. Constant re-occurring Engine Code (P065312) that's happened from 1000-current (12,665) mileage. HUGE safety concern in my opinion. Also the exterior trim is falling off in certain places and is being replaced under warranty. I've had a few issues with the radio/back-up camera freezing up and becoming … unresponsive as well.
The primary issue is the Engine. When the Code occurs the car gets stuck at a certain rev point w/ no control from the accelerator, you have to pull over and restart the vehicle to resolve issue. Not the worst thing don't get me wrong, but if it happened on the highway? that's an accident waiting to happen.
I've had no luck with any of the dealerships I've been to, and my Kia Consumer Affair rep keeps advising me to give another dealership a chance. I've given the dealership/affair rep ample information to be prepared for the issue, but no luck so far.
Two steps forward, two steps backward
4 out of 5 stars
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.
A Stand-Out Sporty Sedan
4 out of 5 stars
Sky C., 01/27/2023
2023 Kia K5 GT-Line 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
I spent several months researching details and reviews and test driving the 2023 GT-Line before finally making my purchase. After driving it daily, my initial impressions were all positive, with the exception of just a few not so positive surprises. The car had touted its having four USB ports, but only one is for device connectivity, the other three are for charging only. This was an … issue as I keep a massive music library on a 128GB thumb drive that I'd previously used as my primary source of music, but with an iPhone 15 Pro Max connected to the wired-only 10.25" touch screen, I lost the ability to have anything other than the iPhone plugged in at a time. The wireless charing slot is virtually useless, as I have to have my iPhone plugged in via USB all the time in order to use Apple CarPlay. Also, the chrome trim piece that wraps around entire roofline and underneath the rear window looked completely out of place on the GT-Line package (it's the only chrome on the whole car), so I immediately installed matching black-out gloss vinyl to cover it after taking delivery (I was able to purchase a do-it-yourself kit and install it relatively easily for $60 and a half a day's work, vs. the $400+ a local detailing shop quoted to do it). This was a huge aesthetic improvement. The GT-Line should ship this way and eliminate the chrome holdover from the Optima days. Also, know in advance that if you live in cold weather areas, there's no way to hop out of the car and lock the door and leave the the engine running. It shuts itself off you try to lock the car after exiting with the engine running and hit the lock. Forums indicate the only option is to use the remote start to restart the engine after it shuts itself off and you're outside the car. Also, there's no place to grab the trunk to shut it after opening (no notch or handle), so the shiny black GT-Line spoiler is constantly getting covered with fingerprints/handprints from shutting the trunk. Other than those few complaints it's been an overall positive experience owning the 2023 K5 GT-Line after almost 5K miles.
2019 Optima EX vs 2023 K5 GT GT1
4 out of 5 stars
Roderick, 09/21/2022
2023 Kia K5 GT 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)
I love the power in the engine, i really enjoy the look and feel of the infotainment system. i wish kia would get with the times and have wireless projection of android auto/apple carplay.
in my 2019 Optima EX, the lane keeping assist was almost flawless, it was slightly lacking on really tight curves of the highway but i feel that is reasonable. with the 2023 GT GT1, the lane keeping … assist is almost dangerous. it seems to have extreme amounts of torque and cannot measure the center of the lane correctly, it is constantly pulling the car out of the lane, especially on curves. The steering assist is even worse... it stays on all the way to zero mph and turns the wheel for no reason at a stop. if you are taking a 25mph TIGHT exit ramp it will GREATLY over-correct the turn and do it extremely quickly, i find myself fighting the lanekeep assist, and steering assist constantly if im not going in a straight line.
I do prefer the Harmon/Kardon system in the 2019 Optima as it had a cleaner sound in my opinion. Although the Bose sound is pretty good.
also THANK YOU KIA for the remote start on the actual remote. jeez. finally.
the only other thing i dont appreciate is how easy it is to scratch the glossy finished trim inside the car.
and they got rid of the handle to close the trunk?????
Also got rid of the button to open the gas cap??? those were key features i really enjoyed on my optima!
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2024 Kia K5, so we've included reviews for other years of the K5 since its last redesign.
The Honda Accord is more expensive than the Kia K5, and Honda reserves the best technology for the most expensive version of the Accord. However, most Accords have a hybrid powertrain that delivers superior fuel economy, and the Honda's back seat and trunk are as roomy as a full-size sedan. In the Kia's favor, it offers a much longer warranty.
Hyundai gives the 2024 Sonata a dramatic design update that improves its appeal. In addition, the Sonata offers superior ownership perks compared to the Kia K5, including complimentary scheduled maintenance and a generous trial subscription to connected services. Also, the Sonata is available with an efficient hybrid powertrain. For its part, the K5 comes with standard turbocharged power and is available with an all-wheel-drive system.
If you like sporty-looking sedans, one of the Camry's several available sport trims might grab your attention. The Camry comes standard with an impressive suite of advanced driver aids and a more powerful base engine that's just as fuel-efficient as the K5's. Both sedans have a comfortable ride, but the Camry's interior doesn't quell road noise as well. The K5's interior is also more modern-looking and sports larger touchscreen displays. All-wheel drive is available on both sedans with their base engines.
The Kia K5 is the brand's midsize sedan that took the place of the Optima in the lineup. For 2024, the K5 should soldier on with presumably few updates since it was just introduced in 2021. For those looking for a practical car with a bit more style than some of the mainstream staples, the Kia K5 is a great option.
While the top-trim GT model does offer impressive performance from its 290-horsepower four-cylinder, the rest of the K5 lineup makes do with an adequate 180-horsepower engine. Both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available. In its lower trim levels, it's a car with a sporty look that doesn't have the performance to match, but it offers decent fuel economy figures across the board.
The K5 competes in a segment of longstanding favorites such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Hyundai also has the Sonata, which shares a platform with the K5 and many of its components. Each of those cars offers something different, but the K5 has the right look and the right price to hold its own.
Edmunds says
The 2024 Kia K5 may not get the same attention as some of its more popular crossover and EV siblings, but it still charms with a fantastic interior space and sharp exterior looks. Give it a chance if you want to stand out in a world full of Accords and Camrys.
FAQ
Is the Kia K5 a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2024 K5 both on the road and at the track, giving it a 8.3 out of 10. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2024 K5 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 35 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the K5 has 16.0 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Kia K5. Learn more
What's new in the 2024 Kia K5?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2024 Kia K5:
The GT-Line trim gains heated seats
Part of the first K5 generation introduced for 2021
To determine whether the Kia K5 is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the K5. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the K5's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2024 Kia K5 a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2024 Kia K5 is a good car. Edmunds' expert testing team reviewed the 2024 K5 and gave it a 8.3 out of 10. Our consumer reviews show that the 2024 K5 gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 35 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2024 K5 is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2024 Kia K5?
The least-expensive 2024 Kia K5 is the 2024 Kia K5 LXS 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $25,590.
Other versions include:
LXS 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $25,590
GT-Line 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $27,090
GT-Line 4dr Sedan AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $28,690
EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) which starts at $29,490
GT 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) which starts at $31,990
If you're interested in the Kia K5, the next question is, which K5 model is right for you? K5 variants include LXS 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A), GT-Line 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A), GT-Line 4dr Sedan AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A), and EX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A). For a full list of K5 models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
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