2023 Kia K5

　　

2023 Kia K5 Review

byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Michael Cantu has worked in the automotive industry since 2014. He has written over 800 car-related articles and tested and reviewed over 100 vehicles over the course of his career. Michael is a contributor at zzdcar and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Digital Trends and InsideEVs. Michael was featured on a few InsideEVs YouTube channel videos on the topic of electric vehicles. Michael was a MotorTrend Car of the Year judge for 2019 and was a driver in MotorTrend's World's Greatest Drag Races 7 & 8.

　　, rating written byMichael CantuCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　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.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2023 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 $3.06 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$121/mo  for K5 LXS

　　K5 LXS

　　LXS 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $25,290 MSRPGT-Line 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) (Most Popular) - $26,690 MSRPGT-Line 4dr Sedan AWD (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $28,390 MSRPEX 4dr Sedan (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 8A) - $29,190 MSRPGT 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM) - $31,690 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　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 zzdcar' Expert Rating below.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar 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.

　　Great

　　8.3

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

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.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below