2025 Kia EV5 Makes Its Production Debut as a Stylish EV SUV

Just over five months after showing off the concept, Kia revealed the production variant of the EV5 at China’s Chengdu Motor Show. The SUV is the latest model to join the brand’s growing stable of electric vehicles, with a similar design language to the larger 2024 Kia EV9 SUV. Here’s what we know so far about this upcoming SUV.

Despite taking the cover off of the new product in time for the festivities in Chengdu, Kia isn’t quite ready to share full details about the EV5 with the public. That said, we won’t be surprised to see the SUV use the automaker’s E-GMP platform, which underpins the EV5 and EV9 models. The platform allows for both single and dual-motor powertrain layouts, with outputs ranging from 225 hp up to 577 hp. Batteries range in size from 58 kWh to 77.4 kWh, and support high-rate DC fast-charging thanks to an 800-volt architecture.

The broad capability of the platform makes it a solid starting point for a compact SUV like this, ensuring there’s an EV5 for all sorts of customers. The truck’s styling certainly won’t hurt in the sales department either, looking nearly identical to the earlier concept. It is clear that Kia wants to establish this design language across its electric SUVs, as the EV5 looks quite a bit like a scaled down EV9. The SUV has traditional upright proportions, but the bodywork itself is well sculpted. The lighting motif from the EV9 continues here as well, with the rear shaping up to be the car’s signature.

In a move that surprises no one, Kia did have to tone down the interior for the production variant of the EV5 SUV. The swiveling lounge setup is gone, replaced by two traditional rows of seating. That’s not to say the interior isn’t a stylish place; It has an airy look and some unique design touches. A pair of large screens serve as your gauge cluster and infotainment center, which come perched atop the expansive but simple dashboard.

The 2025 Kia EV5 is slated to hit showrooms in China within a few months, which means we won’t have too long to wait before more details become available. In fact, Kia has already stated that it has plans to highlight the EV5 at an EV Day event in October. If the new SUV is able to deliver the same sort of performance as the other Kia EVs, the brand should have no problem pitting the EV5 against other compact electric SUVs.

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