Kia EV5 2025 review: GT-Line long-term | Part 2

My first two months living with the 2025 Kia EV5 GT-Line mid-size SUV have been insightful to say the least, as they’ve revealed what a fully-electric vehicle from a mainstream legacy car brand can be.

You see, the more affordable end of the EV segment is increasingly dominated by new-name brands – and yes, I’m including Tesla on that list – while the few models that are available from the established players have largely been uncompetitive so far due to pricing, driving range and other factors.

So, it’s refreshing to experience first hand the EV5 performing so well on so many fronts.

Now, if you missed the first edition of this three-part EV Guide long-term review, please click on the link above as I covered off the EV5’s pricing, specification and ownership proposition in detail.

But in this second instalment, I’ll be deep-diving into the EV5’s design and practicality, which just so happen to be two of things that help it stand apart from the crowd in the first place.

Let’s get to it!

A futuristic box on wheels

Let’s face it, most electric SUVs look like a bar of soap externally, a trend started by Tesla – but thankfully the EV5 does not follow it.

You only need to take a quick look at the EV5 to realise it stands out from the EV crowd for all of the right reasons, in my opinion, anyway.

Simply put, the EV5 is a futuristic box on wheels, much like its big brother, the EV9 seven-seater. As such, it doesn’t let aerodynamics almost exclusively dictate how it looks.

The end result is a surprisingly upright body that measures 4615mm long (with a 2750mm wheelbase), 1875mm wide and 1715mm tall, with the chiseled panels bucking the overly smooth EV trend.

At the same time, the EV5 still looks very modern, with the GT-Line on test here being its best form thanks to its exclusive sportier bumpers and gloss-black trim.

Up front, the EV5 GT-Line’s design highlights include somewhat C-shaped LED headlights and a subtle, closed-off interpretation of Kia’s signature 'tiger-nose' grille.

Around the side, the EV5 GT-Line impresses with its 20-inch alloy wheels, which have an aerodynamically friendly design alongside the pop-out doorhandles. The cool two-tone 'Slate Grey' paintwork of my test vehicle also becomes apparent here.

At the rear, the EV5 GT-Line looks its best, with its C-shaped LED tail-lights stretching almost the full width of the flat tailgate. Large 'KIA' badging is proudly displayed underneath.

Inside, the best compliment I can pay the EV5 is that it looks like a recent internal-combustion vehicle, meaning its steering wheel has physical buttons, stalks and even an easy-to-use column-mounted gear selector.

There’s also a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and even a windshield-projected head-up display in the GT-Line. The former is aligned with a 12.3-inch central touchscreen and a 5.0-inch touchscreen dual-zone climate control panel in between.

But the latter is mostly concealed by the steering wheel in any driving position I've tried so far. That would be annoying if the physical air-conditioning switches below the central air vents weren’t already a cinch to use, as they quickly become muscle memory.

It is these basic ergonomics the EV5 nails in an era of singular large touchscreens and few physical controls anywhere in the cabin – if you’re lucky. Yep, even window switches are currently under attack, but not here!

The multimedia system on hand is easy enough to use, quickly becoming intuitive, partially thanks to the capacitive shortcut buttons below the left display, which could be made better with haptic feedback that reassures the user when they have actually pressed a button.

But let’s be honest, you’re going to wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto most of the time anyway, in which case their projection takes full advantage of the central touchscreen’s real estate.

Elsewhere, the EV5’s interior isn’t without intrigue, as its dashboard has a geometric, dual-textured design, while the GT-Line sets itself apart with two-tone leather upholstery throughout.

A smaller bit of attention to detail I absolutely love is how the two different upper dashboard materials flow through to the upper section of the front door cards, meaning the driver and passenger sides have unique textures. Nice.

But the EV5 isn’t without its quirks, which brings us neatly to…

Practicality perfection – almost

Up front, the EV5 makes a rather odd move by ditching the traditional storage bin you’d expect to see underneath the central armrest (a firm one in this instance).

In its place is an extension of the front passenger seat, which could easily be mistaken for an elusive – and old-school – sixth seating position. The only problem is it’s not a third front-row pew. Instead, it’s a, uh, pocket, which can barely fit my keys. Strange move, Kia.

The rest of the centre console is also unconventional but far more useful, with a two-tiered shelf employed. The first is occupied by two cupholders and one wireless smartphone charger, while the second is a cubby that’s only open from the sides and positioned on the floor, so it’s a bit of a stretch to use.

Elsewhere, a sunglasses holder is missing in action, while the central armrest is technically soft-touch but is so firm that it’s uncomfortable. Its door counterparts aren’t much better, either.

It’s very good news otherwise, with the centre stack featuring two USB-C ports and a 12V power outlet, but the highlight is the fold-out bag hook.

The glove box is decently sized, while the front door bins look deceptively large but can only accommodate two 600mL bottles at a pinch.

In the second row, passenger space is plentiful. Behind my own 184cm driving position, I have leagues of legroom. The rear bench can manually recline and in its most relaxed position I have a few inches of headroom, even with the GT-Line’s panoramic sunroof.

The floor is also flat, meaning there’s plenty of foot space to go around and you’ll need it given three adults can sit abreast in relative comfort. That won’t be possible if the three top-tether or two ISOFIX child seat anchorage points are taken advantage of, though.

Amenities-wise, there’s a USB-C port and a map pocket on each of the front seatbacks, while the passenger side also scores a rare fold-down tray table for the full airline experience.

The air vents are integrated into the B-pillars and pleasingly face-level, meaning ventilation is much better than the norm. What is expected, though, is the fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders, while the rear door bins look tiny but can still accommodate a 600mL bottle each.

Under the rear bench is a three-pin power outlet, which is powered by vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality that allows the battery pack to be used to power household appliances.

That is particularly handy if you’re a keen camper or in need during a blackout. Another access point is found externally, behind the charging port cover, although it requires a V2L adaptor to make it work.

The real second-row party trick, though, is the GT-Line’s heated or cooled drawer at the rear of the centre console. If you have a coffee you want to keep warm or a drink you want to make icy, it will be your new best friend.

The boot is an even better space, with a solid 513L of cargo capacity on offer. That figure can be expanded to a massive 1714L when the 60/40 split-fold rear bench is stowed, an action that’s (frustratingly) only possible via the manual release latches on either side of the outboard sets.

Yep, both need to be pulled if you want to open everything up. It is bizarre. So too is the exclusion of a parcel shelf.

What is welcome, though, is the flat load lip and boot floor no matter the configuration. That said, the front section of the boot floor is on hinges and can be raised to be used as a shelf. Underneath is the onboard Type 2 charging cable and tyre repair kit – yep, there is no full-size spare here, but that’s to be expected with an EV.

The rear section of the boot floor is removable altogether, concealing a large storage space. But the hidey-holes don’t stop there, as there are an unprecedented six open cubbies flanking the space, while the three bag hooks on hand have 12 different positions available.

Being an EV, there’s also a frunk or ‘froot’ under the bonnet, with this one providing an additional 67L of storage space, but it’s worth keeping in mind a 25kg weight limit is in place. It can be opened via a manual release in the driver’s footwell or, more conveniently, the key fob.

Improved efficiency

In my second month driving the EV5 GT-Line, my average energy consumption was 19.6kWh/100km over close to 1000km of driving, which is a 0.2kWh/100km improvement over the number I achieved the first time around thanks to a higher mix of more efficient city commutes.

Based on the EV5 GT-Line’s useable battery capacity of 84kWh, my latest return translates to a real-world driving range of 429km, which is 41km below the WLTP claim but not bad considering my more spirited driving style. Bring on month three!

Speaking of which, the third and final instalment of this EV Guide long-term review of the EV5 GT-Line will be headlined by my long-awaited driving impressions and overall verdict. See you then!

Acquired: March 3, 2025

Distance travelled this month: 935km

Odometer: 2566km

Average energy consumption this month: 19.6kWh/100km