KIA K5

Apart from the exterior, the interior of the Kia K5 also exhibits a top-notch finish and trendiness in its layout. Kia has done a commendable job in equipping the new K5 with all the possible modern features a car from this segment can get. There are three leather upholsteries to choose from – all-black, black and beige and black and red.

Behind the flat-bottom multi-functional steering wheel, which comes with a satin silver finish for the spokes, the K5 has a large cockpit comprising 10.25-inch full-TFT screens for the instrument console and a touchscreen infotainment system. This cockpit looks large and wide and comes with dark chrome surrounds. The middle layer of the dashboard can also be customized among the three options on offer – metal paint, wood and hairline.

The AC vents on the centre console and dashboard corners also look sleek and have dark chrome surrounds. The wraparound lower centre console has a gloss black finish for the floor, which has a transmission lever, drive mode controller and electronic parking brake button.

The Kia K5 is loaded with features, as apart from the features mentioned above, it also gets dual-zone automatic climate control, rear AC vents, panoramic sunroof, powered front seats with memory function, heated and ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, premium BOSE audio system, rear sunshades and wireless charger.

In a day when every other car maker is focusing on SUVs, Kia has done a stellar job in keeping the K5 relevant with a major refresh to its exterior design. The result is eye-catching, with the overall design having several busy-looking elements which make it look flashy.

At the front, the fascia of the Kia K5 looks a bit minimal, with extra visual drama on the sides. The sedan has a sleek-looking, smile-like wide grille that extends to the headlamps on the sides and has honeycomb mesh throughout its design. The wedge-shaped all-LED headlamps come with zig-zag daytime running LEDs on the outer edges. The front bumper has nicely-styled air curtains on the sides and a large hexagonal air dam in the middle.

The side profile of the Kia K5 is the most dramatic angle of the sedan, with it showcasing the best of its aerodynamics, thanks to the well-contoured bonnet and a coupe-like sloping roofline. Further visual drama is added by the chrome garnish which starts from the A-pillar and flows towards the C-pillar while flowing over the window panels. Apart from the sloping roofline, the stance of the K5 is further enhanced by the low ground clearance and 18-inch alloy wheels.

The rear look of the Kia K5 is a bit subjective and a ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ kind of affair. The rather clean-looking boot lid of the K5 has large LED tail lamps on the sides, which are connected by an LED light bar across the width of the boot lid. There is more visual drama on the rear bumper, which has air curtains on the sides and comes with twin exhaust pipes on the diffuser at the bottom.

Apart from a well-styled aerodynamic design, the other factor which contributes to the well-behaving driving dynamics of the Kia K5 is a nicely-tuned suspension, which comes with an increased caster trail at the front and increased longitudinal span at the rear. There are five drive modes on offer for the K5 – Comfort, Eco, Smart, Sport and Custom.

There are two engine and gearbox combinations on offer for the Kia K5 lineup. The lower-spec variants of the K5 come with a combination of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally-aspirated petrol engine and a 6-speed automatic gearbox. This combination claims a maximum power output of 150 PS and a peak torque output of 192 Nm. The higher-spec variants, meanwhile, come with a larger 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 194 PS of power and 246 Nm of torque, while paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The extensive list of safety features offered in the Kia K5 as standard are six airbags, ABS with EBD, vehicle stability management, hill hold assist, forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, blind spot collision warning, safe exit assist, driver attention warning, blind spot view monitor, smart cruise control, lane following assist, surround view monitor, rear cross-traffic collision warning and front and rear parking sensors.

The Kia K5 is one of those sedans which can bring back the enthusiasm and desirability in the sedan segment with its attractive looks, extensive features and nice and plush driving mannerisms.