The all-new Kia EV5 compact electric SUV has been revealed by the South Korean manufacturer at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. And in typical Kia slash Hyundai slash Genesis fashion, we’ll have to wait for more details about the brand’s second zero-emissions SUV until October, when the brand will hold its EV Day event.
For now, we’ll have to make do with an official photo gallery (embedded below) and some design information that was scattered throughout the press release, like the fact that the new EV5 has a mood lighting system with adjustable brightness and that users can choose from a total of 64 colors, including 10 shades curated by Kia’s lighting experts.
The company says that, when activated, the mood lighting synchronizes with the vehicle’s driving modes, dims in low light conditions, and even alerts the driver if the car goes over the speed limit.
Kia adds that customers will be able to specify the EV5’s interior to similar levels of elegance and taste that they might choose for their home, with four color and five seat pattern options on offer, including two woven variants and one artificial leather version for the base model.
Regarding the exterior colors, the Korean brand’s latest electric SUV will be available in nine glossy colors (Snow White Pearl, Clear White, Starry Night Black, Magma Red, Ivory Silver, Frost Blue, Iceberg Green, Tide Blue, and Shale Grey) and a matte Ivory Silver.
“The Kia EV5 was created to redefine the compact SUV genre with a form shaped by Kia’s unique design philosophy ‘Opposites United,’” said Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center. “At every stage, Kia’s designers have worked closely with their engineering colleagues to create a holistic solution for sustainable mobility. As a result, the EV5 sets a new standard for design, performance, and practicality while providing new levels of driver enjoyment and user experience.”
Touted as being a car that’s been designed and engineered to meet the needs of millennial families, the Kia EV5 offers seating for five, “exceptional versatility, and outstanding comfort,” according to the press release.
Staying true to the EV5 concept shown in March, the front of the SUV features a wide nose and solid hood, as well as Kia’s so-called three-dimensional “Signature Star Map Lighting” formed by LED daytime running lights.
Dimensions and technical specifications are yet to be published by the company, but we already know from information published by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) that the EV5 is 181.7 inches long, 73.8 in wide, and 67.5 tall, with a wheelbase of 108.2 in. By comparison, the Tesla Model Y is 187 in long, 75.6 in wide, and 63.9 in tall, with a wheelbase of 113.8 in.
Furthermore, according to The Korean Car Blog, the electric compact SUV will be powered by an 82-kilowatt-hour battery enabling a driving range of up to 372 miles.
The Kia EV5 will go on sale toward the end of the year in China, with other markets soon to follow.
