Another restyled Kia K5 sedan: naturally aspirated instead of a turbo engine and all-wheel drive

Kia has introduced an updated sedan for North America. There, the 1.6 T-GDI turbo-four was replaced by a naturally aspirated 2.5 GDI engine. However, the top GT version still retained the turbocharged engine.

In its native Korea, the restyled four-door Kia K5 debuted last fall. Now the American version has been declassified, its premiere was held at the Chicago Auto Show. By the way, in the States, the “five” went into the red: in 2023, 64,772 units were sold there, which is 2% less than the year before. For comparison, the Nissan Altima sedan sold 128,030 units in the United States (-8%), the result of the Honda Accord was 197,947 units. (+28%), Toyota Camry – 290,649 units. (-1.5%). Restyling is unlikely to bring the Kia K5 closer to the segment leaders, but it can still boost sales.

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In terms of design, the sedan intended for America has generally changed in the same way as the Korean version: the model received new and even more ornate headlights, different bumpers and fanged taillights. Americans still have access to the top version of the GT (it is depicted in all company photos), its features are 19-inch wheels (other versions have 16- or 18-inch ones), acid-colored brake calipers, additional vertical sections of running lights and bifurcated pipes exhaust system.

Inside, a curved display and a modernized front panel were installed, the climate control unit was also replaced, and the cup holders located on the central tunnel became larger. The American sedan retained the usual box selector, while the Korean version initially had a washer. The list of standard equipment includes a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, and an auto-braking system with cyclist detection. Expensive equipment includes a cruise with expanded functionality, a panoramic sunroof, a blind spot monitoring system and many other assistants.

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In Korea, the reforms did not affect the Kia K5 technology, where the model is offered with a naturally aspirated 2.0 petrol (160 hp) and a 1.6 T-GDI turbo-four (180 hp), in addition, cars with a gas engine and a HEV hybrid are available to customers. But in the States, the standard sedan received a new engine: the 1.6 T-GDI was replaced by a naturally aspirated 2.5 GDI with 193 hp. (the turbo engine of the local pre-reform sedan produces 183 hp), it is combined with a classic eight-speed automatic transmission. At the same time, the GT version retained the 294-horsepower 2.5 T-GDI turbo-four, which is paired with an eight-speed robotic gearbox with two clutches. As before, all-wheel drive is available for an additional fee for the American Kia K5 sedan — but only for “ordinary” cars, that is, now with an atmospheric engine, while the top-end K5 GT is exclusively front-wheel drive (in other regions there is no 4WD option at all).

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In the States, sales of the updated four-door will start in the spring, prices have not yet been announced. The pre-styling Kia K5 model there today costs from $25,590 (excluding taxes and delivery).