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Business Times
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Business Times
Kia EV5 review: Range beats rage
[Singapore] If South Korea's pop factories put a dozen members in every band to offer a bias for every fan (and increase the odds that someone will actually be able to sing), Kia's EV5 does the same for electric car shoppers. Or at least, it did. It launched here on May 29 with a three-version line-up named Air, Earth and GT-Line, giving buyers at least one to 'stan', as the K-pop fandom calls it. But the powerful two-motor GT-Line variant has since tiptoed from the market, most likely because no one really wanted an electric Kia crossover that can crack 100 kmh in 6.3 seconds, especially if they had to pay for a Category B Certificate of Entitlement (COE) to get it. That leaves the Air and Earth to soldier on, but being in Category A gives them a fighting chance. Powered by a 64.2 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery that can keep it going for a claimed 400 kilometres, the EV5 Air costs S$192,000. Meanwhile, the S$208,600 Earth version packs the same 136 horsepower motor driving the front wheels, but comes with more equipment and an 88.1 kWh battery, giving it a competitive 540 km range. Kia kept real buttons in the EV5 for ventilation, audio volume and drive modes, so you're not forced to jab at a touchscreen for every little thing. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING In either form, the Kia is a reminder that while the electric vehicle (EV) game is more competitive than ever, China doesn't have the field entirely to itself yet. Unlike many Chinese rivals, the EV5 has a familiar brand to offer wary buyers, as well as the practicality and value for money that Kia is known for. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up It's also a car that's close to home. Local hands assemble it at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore in Jurong, although if that counted for much here, the streets would be littered with Hyundai's Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, which are also put together there. Size-wise, the EV5 sits between two big-name EVs: the BYD Atto 3 and Tesla Model Y. It looks deceptively large because the styling riffs heavily on Kia's own EV9, with the same slender lights, flat snout and chunky haunches. The dashboard borrows from the EV9, too, with twin 12.3-inch screens flanking a 5.3-inch climate control panel. Mercifully, Kia kept real buttons for ventilation, audio volume and drive modes, so you're not forced to jab at a touchscreen for every little thing. The EV5's boot offers a decent 513 litres and has a slew of trays, compartments and movable anchors for hooks. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Concept-car looks aside, the EV5 is grounded in family crossover reality. The boot offers a decent 513 litres and has a slew of trays, compartments and movable anchors for hooks (although inexplicably, it has no cover to keep your stuff from prying eyes). The cargo area expands to a warehouse-like 1,714 litres, while a 67-litre frunk gives you somewhere to put your trainers after a muddy hike. True to EV form, there's a flat floor, generous rear legroom, and gently reclining backrests so you can pretend you're riding in a limo. You get a chilled or heated compartment between the seats so you can bring cold drinks or hot food with you and keep them that way, which is always good for scoring brownie points at home. True to EV form, there's a flat floor, generous rear legroom, and gently reclining backrests so you can pretend you're riding in a limo. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Overhead, a vast glass roof floods the cabin with light, while gadgets can sip power from one of six USB-C ports. A sturdy hook below the dash holds your handbag; it's possibly compensation for how Kia thought it would be wholesome to leave out the storage box that typically separates the front passengers. The boot has a pop-up picnic table of sorts, too, with a power outlet for household appliances. Those thoughtful touches make the EV5 feel quite novel, which is just as well, because the Earth version shares one thing with nearly all the electric cars in Category A: it is dreary to drive. It can keep up with city traffic, but otherwise feels as sluggish as its 11-second zero-to-100-kmh time suggests. It probably takes less time for the latest Blackpink music video to pick up 10 million views on YouTube. The steering is light and the tyres are grippy, but you never really get a sense of connectedness with the road. On the plus side, I'd score it highly for ease of operation. There's a crisp 360-degree camera so you can keep the rims from their natural foes, the kerbs. It has adaptive cruise control that helps you manage speed and stay in lane. And the remote parking feature can slot the EV5 into a tight space while you watch from outside. Overall, though it's dull to drive the EV5 ticks the important boxes: Category A pricing, a roomy cabin, versatile boot and solid features, all served up by a familiar badge sold by a familiar dealership group in Cycle & Carriage. PHOTO: BIG FISH PUBLISHING Overall, though it's dull to drive the EV5 ticks the important boxes: Category A pricing, a roomy cabin, versatile boot and solid features, all served up by a familiar badge sold by a familiar dealership group in Cycle & Carriage. For entertainment, there's always Stray Kids. Kia EV5 Earth Long Range Motor power/torque 136 hp/310 Nm Battery type/net capacity Lithium iron phosphate/88.1 kWh Charging time/type 38 minutes 10 to 80 per cent (141 kW DC), 8 hours (11 kW AC) Range 540 km 0-100 kmh 11 seconds Top speed 170 kmh Efficiency 18.5 kWh/100 km Agent Cycle & Carriage Kia Price S$208,600 with COE Available Now
AsiaOne
30-05-2025
- Automotive
- AsiaOne
Daily roundup: Fewer private university grads find full-time jobs in 2024, compared to 2023 — and other top stories today, Singapore News
Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today. 1. Fewer private university grads find full-time jobs in 2024, compared to 2023 Fewer private university graduates found full-time jobs within six months of graduating in 2024 than in the previous year. According to the 2024 Private Education Institution Graduate Employment Survey... » READ MORE 2. Made in Singapore: First locally-made Kia, the EV5, officially launched Kia has launched its first locally-made model, the EV5 electric SUV, which will be assembled at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS) in Jurong... » READ MORE 3. 'A project out of love': Dad-daughter duo sets up assisted living community to honour late grandma When the Covid-19 pandemic reached Singapore five years ago and triggered a lockdown here, the Kok family had no choice but to halt the frequent social activities their dementia-stricken grandmother enjoyed... » READ MORE 4. Zheng Geping gets surprise birthday celebration on drama set He thought it was time to film, only to be surprised with a chorus. Local actor Zheng Geping turned 61 on May 27, and his family as well as the crew and cast members on the set of their drama The Cellphone Swap threw him a surprise celebration... » READ MORE editor@
