The 2026 Kia K5 offers a solid ownership proposition with good safety ratings and respectable fuel economy.
Calculated from 10,000+ NHTSA, EPA & owner-complaint data pointsHow we score
2026 modelSpecifications by model year
Every section below is populated from the available EPA, NHTSA, and vehicle-specification data for this model.
EPA-rated city, highway, and combined economy by year.
Powertrain specifications can vary between model years.
| Year | Body style | Cylinders | Displacement | Fuel type | Transmission | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Automatic (AM-S8) | Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2025 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Automatic (AM-S8) | Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2024 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Automatic (AM-S8) | Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2023 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) | Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2022 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive |
| 2021 | sedan | 4 | 2.5 | Regular | Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive |
Original pricing and model configuration where available.
Seating, cargo, and physical configuration by model year.
| Year | Seats | Doors | Cargo (L) | Cargo (cu ft) | bodyAndInterior | mechanical | Keyless ignition | GVWR | Seat rows | Steering location | Axles | Wheels | Wheelbase | Front wheel | Rear wheel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025 | — | — | — | — | Keyless ignition: Standard | GVWR: Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) | Standard | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) | Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — | Keyless ignition: Standard | GVWR: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Standard | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 5 | — | — | — | Keyless ignition: Standard, Seat rows: 2 | GVWR: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Standard | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | 5 | 4 | 453 | 16 | Keyless ignition: Standard, Seat rows: 2 | GVWR: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Standard | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | 5 | — | — | — | Keyless ignition: Standard, Steering location: Left-Hand Drive (LHD), Seat rows: 2 | GVWR: Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less), Axles: 2, Wheels: 4, Wheelbase: 112.2, Front wheel: 19, Rear wheel: 19 | Standard | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less) | 2 | Left-Hand Drive (LHD) | 2 | 4 | 112.2 | 19 | 19 |
NHTSA safety ratings and listed driver-assistance availability.
| Year | Overall rating | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rated vehicle | abs | esc | tractionControl | tpms | autoBrake | forwardCollisionWarning | pedestrianAeb | blindSpotMonitoring | blindSpotIntervention | laneDepartureWarning | rearCamera | rearCrossTrafficAlert | rearAeb | adaptiveDrivingBeam | autoReverseSystem | adaptiveCruiseControl | laneCenteringAssist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2026 KIA K5 4 DR N/A AWD | standard | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2025 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2025 Kia K5 4 DR AWD | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | — | — |
| 2024 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2024 Kia K5 4 DR AWD | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | optional | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2023 Kia K5 4 DR AWD | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | optional | standard | standard | optional | standard |
| 2022 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2022 Kia K5 4 DR FWD | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | — | standard | standard | standard | — | standard | standard | optional | standard |
| 2021 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2021 Kia K5 4 DR FWD | standard | standard | standard | standard | — | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | standard | — | standard | standard | standard | — |
Model year reports
The 2026 Kia K5 offers a solid ownership proposition with good safety ratings and respectable fuel economy.
The 2025 Kia K5 presents a mixed reliability picture.
The 2024 Kia K5 presents a competent package with a solid safety score and good fuel economy.
The 2023 Kia K5 presents a mixed reliability picture for used car shoppers.
The 2022 Kia K5 offers a compelling package with good safety scores and decent fuel economy, but significant recall activity, particularly concerning the fuel system and airbags, warrants careful inspection.
The 2021 Kia K5 offers a 5-star overall safety rating and a respectable 27 MPG combined.
Scores are derived from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, normalized by vehicle segment averages.
Carfocal currently has 6 published K5 reports, covering 2021 through 2026. Compare the year-specific reports directly to see how reliability, recalls, ownership costs, and value change over time. The newest published verdict says: The 2026 Kia K5 offers a solid ownership proposition with good safety ratings and respectable fuel economy.
Published year coverage: 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
There is no single reliability answer for every Kia K5. Carfocal's published year reports show why the model year matters, with verdicts that include the 2026 kia k5 offers a solid ownership proposition with good safety ratings and respectable fuel economy. and the 2026 kia k5 offers value through its safety features and fuel efficiency. Compare the report for the year you are considering before you make a decision.
6 published year-specific reports are available for comparison.
Across Carfocal's published K5 guides, recurring problem areas include Instrument Cluster, Brake Pads and Rotors, and Tires. The exact risk depends on the model year, so open the report for the vehicle you are evaluating to see which issues, recalls, and repair concerns apply.
Common problem areas found in published repair predictions: Instrument Cluster, Brake Pads and Rotors, and Tires.