**A Review of the Kia K5: A Seriously Good Car**

I've had the pleasure of driving the Kia K5, and I must say, it's been an incredibly positive experience. Ever since the Stinger, which is no longer around, this car has been pretty darn good. The seats are comfortable, and I particularly like that the throttle pedal is floor hinged, making it a bit more comfortable on long drives or longer slogs.

The interior of the K5 is where one of its standout features lies - it's very premium feeling inside. There's plenty of room behind me, which is great for those who prefer to sit closer to the wheel and be comfortable without having to sacrifice legroom for others. In fact, I find that with my arms fully extended while sitting all the way back in the seat, I can still have a good amount of space in front of me due to the generous proportions of the cabin.

Additionally, there's good room in the trunk as well, which makes it an excellent choice for those who need to transport multiple people or plenty of luggage. The Kia K5 is available with both the standard 8-inch screen and an optional 10.25-inch screen that blends seamlessly into the gauge cluster. However, there is a downside to this feature - if you opt for the upgraded gauge cluster, you'll miss out on wireless CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto.

But don't worry, Kia has made sure that those who want wireless connectivity still have options. There's a Qi wireless charging station right here in the center console, which is neatly designed to hold your phone in place without taking up too much space. And if you need a USB port, there's one available above the infotainment system as well. The engine options for this car are where things get interesting.

The base engine, which I've had the pleasure of driving, is a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. It sends power to the front wheels by default but can be paired with all-wheel drive as an option. And if you're looking for something more exciting, Kia has a two-and-a-half-liter turbocharged unit in the works that will produce 290 horsepower and a whopping 311 pound-feet of torque.

Kia claims that this new engine is good enough to get the GT version of the K5 from 0-60 mph in just 5.8 seconds - impressive for an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The transmission, on the other hand, is an 8-speed automatic gearbox that's paired with a front-wheel drive-based system but can send power to the rear wheels as needed. Kia also offers various driving modes, including Snow Mode, Normal Mode, Smart Mode, and Custom Mode.

But what really sets the K5 apart from its competitors is how quiet it is inside. Every Kia K5 comes equipped with acoustic-laminated front glass that reduces noise levels even further, creating a quieter cabin space. This is no longer considered a premium feature - it's now standard across most of Kia's lineup. So, all things considered, the Kia K5 is an excellent option in the mid-size segment.

And the best part? The price. The base model starts at just under $25,000, while the GT Line, which I've had the pleasure of driving, costs under $27,000. If you step up to the fully loaded GT model that's expected to be launched soon, the price will creep up to over $31,000 - but still within a very competitive range.

Ultimately, when it comes down to it, the Kia K5 is an excellent option in the mid-size segment. It's priced well, has tons of great features, and feels premium inside. The base engine is good, and if you need something more exciting, just wait for the GT that's coming out soon. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait - this car is going to be a lot of fun to drive.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enremember when everybody said you need to buy a midsize sedan that's the hot segment and then crossovers came and said get out of here you're dumb and i don't like you well there are still good mid-size sedans out there case in point is this car right here behind me and no it is not called the all-new kia optima instead this is the all-new kia k5 the optima name is dead long live the k5 let's see if it's worth it so yes get used to it this is not the optima anymore and it is not a blazer i was kind of excited that kia was gonna do their take on chevy's blazer but we already got the telluride and that's pretty darn good it's actually better than the current blazer we get now but i'm digressing from what we're here to talk about and that is the new k5 and i do want to talk about it because it's good so let's talk design for a minute because kia is doing a good job of riding the line between too much and just enough there are some really cool design features on this car look at this grille it almost looks like a 3d printed aesthetic and i really like the sharp cut off for the nose if you come around to the side here there's some great design details in the headlights themselves and i especially like this orange daytime running lamp treatment which i think we first saw on the telluride moving over we've got some actual design to the wheels there's a great shoulder line as well but there's not too much it's just enough to make this stand out in the sea of mid-size crossovers so you know you're looking at a kia and you're looking at a really good looking one the only thing i changed design-wise is i'd get rid of this chrome strip i'd probably black it out i do like how it wraps around the trunk area but it would tie in more nicely on this gt line model into the rear decklid spoiler if it was black as well but that's it as far as me for design misses this all-new k5 rides on a brand new platform kia's m3 platform it is stiffer it has a lower center of gravity so that means it drives better the handling on this is really well done it's taken kia some time but their steering tuning has gotten to a really good place it's been that way for the last few years but prior to that it wasn't great i can tell you it is good ever since stinger it's been it's been pretty darn good the seats are comfortable i like that the throttle pedal is floor hinged which makes it a bit more comfortable on long drives longer slogs the seat feels good the space for your left foot feels nice there's plenty of room behind me i do not need this seat all the way back in fact if i put this seat all the way back my arms are fully extended i'm 6'3 so i do not need to sit all the way back i can sit much closer to the wheel be comfortable and give the people behind me tons of room and then there's good room in the trunk as well so everyone in here will be comfortable this particular gt line which gets the sporty looks of the upcoming gt but retains the base engine this one here is fitted with the eight inch screen the standard screen there's an optional 10 and a quarter inch screen which blends itself seamlessly into the gauge cluster for really cool effect however there is a downside to that gauge cluster if you opt for that optional upgraded gauge cluster you do not get wireless carplay and wireless android auto you still get carplay in android auto you just got to be plugged in this one is wireless and there's a qi wireless charging station right here and it's really neatly designed to hold your phone in place nicely keep your hands away from it just leave it alone there is still a usb outlet up here if you need it so don't fret those of you who don't want to cut the cords for a base engine this is a pretty good one this is a 1.6 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and it makes 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque it sends the power to the front wheels as standard though all-wheel drive is optional and it is backed up by an eight-speed automatic gearbox so the more exciting engine that i mentioned is the two and a half liter turbocharged unit that makes 290 horsepower and it cranks out a mighty impressive 311 pound-feet of torque kia says that's good enough to make the gt version of this run from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds that higher power engine gets an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission not only is there good tech in here it's quiet and that's because every k5 has acoustic laminated front glass for better sound reduction and a quieter cabin space remember when that was a feature on higher end luxury cars this is more proof that cars are universally good at every level so the standard setup is front wheel drive kia will offer optional all-wheel drive and it can vector torque front and rear and it's adjustable based on road conditions as there's a snow mode that alters torque delivery further it's a front wheel drive based system but it will send power to the rear as needed other driving modes include normal smart sport and custom these adjust engine response transmission response and steering mapping honestly just leaving it in normal is fine that will probably be a different story on the sportier gt version to keep harping on about how nice it is in here you can get your kia k5 fitted with ambient interior lighting on the dash and doors you can get a head-up display there's heated and ventilated front seats heated rear seats an air purification system and a panoramic sunroof this is almost wild how nice this car can be at a very good price point so all this does driving this one all this does is make me pine for the upcoming gt version the full gt with 290 horsepower that is going to be a legitimately entertaining vehicle to drive even if it's front-wheel drive all-wheel drive a biased all-wheel drive system sending power to the front but with torque vectoring to send it to the rear as needed so not all is lost and it won't be that expensive either the kia k5 starts just under 25 000 this one this gt line which is very nicely equipped minus the optional screen i told you not to get is under 27 000 and then if you step up all the way to the upcoming gt you have to spend just over 31 000 so you crest the 30 000 mark but you were getting a mid-size sedan with nearly 300 horsepower every time we review the latest and greatest from kia you can't help but think man kia is really kicking butt and it's no different here on the k5 gone is the optipa name but much more appreciated is the arrival of this all new 2021 k5 this is a seriously good car so when it all comes down to it the kia k5 is an excellent option in the mid-size segment it's priced well it has tons of great features it's really premium feeling inside and the base engine is a good one and if you need to get sporty with it just wait for the gt that's coming out soon after youremember when everybody said you need to buy a midsize sedan that's the hot segment and then crossovers came and said get out of here you're dumb and i don't like you well there are still good mid-size sedans out there case in point is this car right here behind me and no it is not called the all-new kia optima instead this is the all-new kia k5 the optima name is dead long live the k5 let's see if it's worth it so yes get used to it this is not the optima anymore and it is not a blazer i was kind of excited that kia was gonna do their take on chevy's blazer but we already got the telluride and that's pretty darn good it's actually better than the current blazer we get now but i'm digressing from what we're here to talk about and that is the new k5 and i do want to talk about it because it's good so let's talk design for a minute because kia is doing a good job of riding the line between too much and just enough there are some really cool design features on this car look at this grille it almost looks like a 3d printed aesthetic and i really like the sharp cut off for the nose if you come around to the side here there's some great design details in the headlights themselves and i especially like this orange daytime running lamp treatment which i think we first saw on the telluride moving over we've got some actual design to the wheels there's a great shoulder line as well but there's not too much it's just enough to make this stand out in the sea of mid-size crossovers so you know you're looking at a kia and you're looking at a really good looking one the only thing i changed design-wise is i'd get rid of this chrome strip i'd probably black it out i do like how it wraps around the trunk area but it would tie in more nicely on this gt line model into the rear decklid spoiler if it was black as well but that's it as far as me for design misses this all-new k5 rides on a brand new platform kia's m3 platform it is stiffer it has a lower center of gravity so that means it drives better the handling on this is really well done it's taken kia some time but their steering tuning has gotten to a really good place it's been that way for the last few years but prior to that it wasn't great i can tell you it is good ever since stinger it's been it's been pretty darn good the seats are comfortable i like that the throttle pedal is floor hinged which makes it a bit more comfortable on long drives longer slogs the seat feels good the space for your left foot feels nice there's plenty of room behind me i do not need this seat all the way back in fact if i put this seat all the way back my arms are fully extended i'm 6'3 so i do not need to sit all the way back i can sit much closer to the wheel be comfortable and give the people behind me tons of room and then there's good room in the trunk as well so everyone in here will be comfortable this particular gt line which gets the sporty looks of the upcoming gt but retains the base engine this one here is fitted with the eight inch screen the standard screen there's an optional 10 and a quarter inch screen which blends itself seamlessly into the gauge cluster for really cool effect however there is a downside to that gauge cluster if you opt for that optional upgraded gauge cluster you do not get wireless carplay and wireless android auto you still get carplay in android auto you just got to be plugged in this one is wireless and there's a qi wireless charging station right here and it's really neatly designed to hold your phone in place nicely keep your hands away from it just leave it alone there is still a usb outlet up here if you need it so don't fret those of you who don't want to cut the cords for a base engine this is a pretty good one this is a 1.6 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and it makes 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque it sends the power to the front wheels as standard though all-wheel drive is optional and it is backed up by an eight-speed automatic gearbox so the more exciting engine that i mentioned is the two and a half liter turbocharged unit that makes 290 horsepower and it cranks out a mighty impressive 311 pound-feet of torque kia says that's good enough to make the gt version of this run from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds that higher power engine gets an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission not only is there good tech in here it's quiet and that's because every k5 has acoustic laminated front glass for better sound reduction and a quieter cabin space remember when that was a feature on higher end luxury cars this is more proof that cars are universally good at every level so the standard setup is front wheel drive kia will offer optional all-wheel drive and it can vector torque front and rear and it's adjustable based on road conditions as there's a snow mode that alters torque delivery further it's a front wheel drive based system but it will send power to the rear as needed other driving modes include normal smart sport and custom these adjust engine response transmission response and steering mapping honestly just leaving it in normal is fine that will probably be a different story on the sportier gt version to keep harping on about how nice it is in here you can get your kia k5 fitted with ambient interior lighting on the dash and doors you can get a head-up display there's heated and ventilated front seats heated rear seats an air purification system and a panoramic sunroof this is almost wild how nice this car can be at a very good price point so all this does driving this one all this does is make me pine for the upcoming gt version the full gt with 290 horsepower that is going to be a legitimately entertaining vehicle to drive even if it's front-wheel drive all-wheel drive a biased all-wheel drive system sending power to the front but with torque vectoring to send it to the rear as needed so not all is lost and it won't be that expensive either the kia k5 starts just under 25 000 this one this gt line which is very nicely equipped minus the optional screen i told you not to get is under 27 000 and then if you step up all the way to the upcoming gt you have to spend just over 31 000 so you crest the 30 000 mark but you were getting a mid-size sedan with nearly 300 horsepower every time we review the latest and greatest from kia you can't help but think man kia is really kicking butt and it's no different here on the k5 gone is the optipa name but much more appreciated is the arrival of this all new 2021 k5 this is a seriously good car so when it all comes down to it the kia k5 is an excellent option in the mid-size segment it's priced well it has tons of great features it's really premium feeling inside and the base engine is a good one and if you need to get sporty with it just wait for the gt that's coming out soon after youremember when everybody said you need to buy a midsize sedan that's the hot segment and then crossovers came and said get out of here you're dumb and i don't like you well there are still good mid-size sedans out there case in point is this car right here behind me and no it is not called the all-new kia optima instead this is the all-new kia k5 the optima name is dead long live the k5 let's see if it's worth it so yes get used to it this is not the optima anymore and it is not a blazer i was kind of excited that kia was gonna do their take on chevy's blazer but we already got the telluride and that's pretty darn good it's actually better than the current blazer we get now but i'm digressing from what we're here to talk about and that is the new k5 and i do want to talk about it because it's good so let's talk design for a minute because kia is doing a good job of riding the line between too much and just enough there are some really cool design features on this car look at this grille it almost looks like a 3d printed aesthetic and i really like the sharp cut off for the nose if you come around to the side here there's some great design details in the headlights themselves and i especially like this orange daytime running lamp treatment which i think we first saw on the telluride moving over we've got some actual design to the wheels there's a great shoulder line as well but there's not too much it's just enough to make this stand out in the sea of mid-size crossovers so you know you're looking at a kia and you're looking at a really good looking one the only thing i changed design-wise is i'd get rid of this chrome strip i'd probably black it out i do like how it wraps around the trunk area but it would tie in more nicely on this gt line model into the rear decklid spoiler if it was black as well but that's it as far as me for design misses this all-new k5 rides on a brand new platform kia's m3 platform it is stiffer it has a lower center of gravity so that means it drives better the handling on this is really well done it's taken kia some time but their steering tuning has gotten to a really good place it's been that way for the last few years but prior to that it wasn't great i can tell you it is good ever since stinger it's been it's been pretty darn good the seats are comfortable i like that the throttle pedal is floor hinged which makes it a bit more comfortable on long drives longer slogs the seat feels good the space for your left foot feels nice there's plenty of room behind me i do not need this seat all the way back in fact if i put this seat all the way back my arms are fully extended i'm 6'3 so i do not need to sit all the way back i can sit much closer to the wheel be comfortable and give the people behind me tons of room and then there's good room in the trunk as well so everyone in here will be comfortable this particular gt line which gets the sporty looks of the upcoming gt but retains the base engine this one here is fitted with the eight inch screen the standard screen there's an optional 10 and a quarter inch screen which blends itself seamlessly into the gauge cluster for really cool effect however there is a downside to that gauge cluster if you opt for that optional upgraded gauge cluster you do not get wireless carplay and wireless android auto you still get carplay in android auto you just got to be plugged in this one is wireless and there's a qi wireless charging station right here and it's really neatly designed to hold your phone in place nicely keep your hands away from it just leave it alone there is still a usb outlet up here if you need it so don't fret those of you who don't want to cut the cords for a base engine this is a pretty good one this is a 1.6 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and it makes 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque it sends the power to the front wheels as standard though all-wheel drive is optional and it is backed up by an eight-speed automatic gearbox so the more exciting engine that i mentioned is the two and a half liter turbocharged unit that makes 290 horsepower and it cranks out a mighty impressive 311 pound-feet of torque kia says that's good enough to make the gt version of this run from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds that higher power engine gets an 8-speed wet dual clutch transmission not only is there good tech in here it's quiet and that's because every k5 has acoustic laminated front glass for better sound reduction and a quieter cabin space remember when that was a feature on higher end luxury cars this is more proof that cars are universally good at every level so the standard setup is front wheel drive kia will offer optional all-wheel drive and it can vector torque front and rear and it's adjustable based on road conditions as there's a snow mode that alters torque delivery further it's a front wheel drive based system but it will send power to the rear as needed other driving modes include normal smart sport and custom these adjust engine response transmission response and steering mapping honestly just leaving it in normal is fine that will probably be a different story on the sportier gt version to keep harping on about how nice it is in here you can get your kia k5 fitted with ambient interior lighting on the dash and doors you can get a head-up display there's heated and ventilated front seats heated rear seats an air purification system and a panoramic sunroof this is almost wild how nice this car can be at a very good price point so all this does driving this one all this does is make me pine for the upcoming gt version the full gt with 290 horsepower that is going to be a legitimately entertaining vehicle to drive even if it's front-wheel drive all-wheel drive a biased all-wheel drive system sending power to the front but with torque vectoring to send it to the rear as needed so not all is lost and it won't be that expensive either the kia k5 starts just under 25 000 this one this gt line which is very nicely equipped minus the optional screen i told you not to get is under 27 000 and then if you step up all the way to the upcoming gt you have to spend just over 31 000 so you crest the 30 000 mark but you were getting a mid-size sedan with nearly 300 horsepower every time we review the latest and greatest from kia you can't help but think man kia is really kicking butt and it's no different here on the k5 gone is the optipa name but much more appreciated is the arrival of this all new 2021 k5 this is a seriously good car so when it all comes down to it the kia k5 is an excellent option in the mid-size segment it's priced well it has tons of great features it's really premium feeling inside and the base engine is a good one and if you need to get sporty with it just wait for the gt that's coming out soon after you\n"