2022 Kia K5 Review

Name: 2022 Kia K5 Review
Brand: Kia

Price Range: $16,999 - $28,998

+222

The 2022 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.

See all features & specs

Price & Payment

163 cars

$22,583 avg. price

Min$

Max$

See listings

Appraise My 2022 Kia K5

2022 Kia K5 for sale near you

3 of 163 listings

EX Sedan
MSRP: $19,795
19 mi away
EX Sedan
MSRP: $24,377
18 mi away
GT-Line Sedan
MSRP: $23,500
19 mi away

See all 163 listings

Kia K5 model years

Kia K5 for Sale

2022 Kia K5 Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

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

Newly available surround-view camera system
A few more standard tech features on top trims
Part of the first K5 generation introduced for 2021

Overview

The 2022 Kia K5 is a midsize sedan that's one of Edmunds' favorite cars on the road today. When it debuted last year as a replacement for the Kia Optima, the K5 impressed with its sharp styling and comfortable and quiet interior. Kia's excellent warranty and a long list of standard and optional features for the money add to the K5's appeal.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Kia K5 LX 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 $2.88 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$109/mo

$154/mo

Avg. Midsize Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The K5 has a sporty and premium feel you can't find in most rivals. Certainly, there are some familiar alternatives here, including the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry. There's also the Hyundai Sonata, which is mechanically related to the K5 and shares many of the same qualities. Still, the K5 stands slightly above the competition. Find out exactly how by reading our Expert Rating below.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{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.}

Great

8.3

out of 10

edmunds 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.

Interior

8/10

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

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 is this trim, but the K5 GT certainly has potential.

Which K5 does Edmunds recommend?

We usually suggest going with one of a vehicle's midlevel trims, but in this case we think it's worth stepping up to the K5 EX trim. It comes with plenty of standard features as well as available equipment not offered on lower trims.

Compare 2022 Kia K5 trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2022 Kia K5 models

The 2022 Kia K5 is available in five trim levels: LX, LXS, GT-Line, EX and GT. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is optional for the LXS and GT-Line. Standard and optional feature highlights include:

LX
The base LX trim comes with an appealing mix of features, including:

180-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine
Eight-speed automatic transmission
16-inch wheels
LED headlights
Dual-zone automatic climate control
8-inch touchscreen
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity)
Six-speaker sound system

All K5s also come with these advanced safety features:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

LXS
Adds the following at a very reasonable price:

Proximity keyless entry and push-button start
Remote start
60/40-split folding rear seats with a center armrest
USB ports for rear passengers
Smartphone-based remote monitoring and control
Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your vehicle's path while in reverse)
Rear passenger safe-exit system (can prevent a rear passenger from opening a door into vehicles approaching from behind)

GT-Line
Similar to the LXS but has:

Additional sporty and black exterior treatments
18-inch wheels
Foglights
Power-adjustable driver's seat
Cloth and simulated leather upholstery
Leather-wrapped steering wheel
Wireless smartphone charging pad
10.25-inch touchscreen (deletes wireless connectivity for CarPlay and Android Auto)
Integrated navigation system

The GT-Line is available with the GT-Line Premium package:

Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the K5 and the vehicle in front)
Panoramic sunroof
Ambient interior lighting
Heated steering wheel (with AWD only)
Gloss-black exterior trim

EX
Forgoes the GT-Line's sporty look but adds a dash of luxury with:

Panoramic sunroof
Heated and ventilated front seats
Climate control vents for rear passengers
Simulated leather upholstery
Rear parking sensors

The available EX Premium package comes with:

Adaptive cruise control
Forward parking sensors
Driver's seat memory settings
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the K5 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
12-speaker premium Bose sound system
Power-adjustable front passenger seat
Heated steering wheel

GT
The performance-oriented GT is equipped much like the EX. It also has:

290-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine
Eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters
Upgraded brakes
Sport-tuned suspension
Most of the GT-Line's styling flourishes
Front sport seats

The GT's optional GT-1 package largely gets you the features from the EX Premium package.

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

See pricing history

Kia K5 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.7

31 reviews

5(87%)

4(7%)

3(0%)

2(3%)

1(3%)

Write a vehicle review See all 31 reviews

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 …

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.

One bad a$$ car!!

Chris Dox., 07/26/2021

2022 Kia K5 GT 4dr Sedan (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 8AM)

I bought the 2022 K5GT with the GT1 package in Wolf Grey for my daughter. I couldn’t find one anywhere in my city as they sold as soon as they arrived. If found one on the showroom floor in Cincinati and told them I was on my way. I got there and absolutely fell in love with it. The lines of this car are beautiful! The tech in it match the impressive looks on the outside. The drive home …

See all 31 reviews of the Kia K5

Write a vehicle review

2022 Kia K5 video

Best & Worst Car Redesigns | Ford Bronco, Nissan Z, HUMMER, Kia K5, Subaru BRZ & More

2022 K5 Highlights

Trim:

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$23,790
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	32 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 frontal 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

People who viewed this also viewed

Toyota Camry
4.2 average Rating out of 56 reviews.
Starting at $28,700

See Toyota Camry Inventory

Honda Accord
4.2 average Rating out of 9 reviews.
Starting at $28,295

See Honda Accord Inventory

Honda Civic
4.4 average Rating out of 19 reviews.
Starting at $24,250

See Honda Civic Inventory

2022 Kia K5 Review

Price & Payment

2022 Kia K5 Review

Pros