Kia showed off the updated look of the 2025 K5 car for the US market. This is the same model that came out in Korea in October. The front and back of the mid-size car now have new daytime running lights, and the touchscreen in the middle is bigger. There is a new 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower, which is big news. It takes the place of the old engine and comes standard on all but the GT model. The official release date for the K5 has yet to be set, but we expect to see it in dealerships in the spring. Today at the Chicago car show, Kia showed off the K5 sedan with American specs. The Korean-market model came out in October. The mid-size sedan gets new technology, more standard features, and a new engine for the base models. The front and back ends have also been changed. Fewer turbos mean more power When Kia released the K5 in Korea for the first time in October, we thought that the mid-size sedan’s engine wouldn’t change much. We try to get as close as we can, but we can’t reach a thousand. Even though we were told the wrong thing, we’re glad to hear that the 2025 K5 can now run on regular power. A 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower was in the last generation of K5s. The K5 has a new naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 191 horsepower. This engine is used in all model levels except the GT. The new engine still works with an automatic drive with eight speeds. You can choose all-wheel drive, but it’s only available on the GT-Line. It comes with front-wheel drive. Unfortunately, the lack of a turbocharger has hurt the speed; the 2.5-liter engine now only makes 181 pound-feet of torque, down from 195 in the 1.6-liter engine. The GT, which is a lot more powerful, is back with the same engine. It has the same 2.5-liter four-pot turbocharged engine that makes 290 horsepower. It also has the same eight-speed wet dual-clutch automatic gearbox that comes with the Hyundai Sonata N Line. The sportiest K5 has bigger brakes, wider tires on 19-inch wheels, and a different way of setting the suspension. A makeover Like the Korean version, the US K5’s front and back ends have been changed, and it now has new headlights and taillights. The new front end has amber daytime running lights that are shaped like the K5 in a zigzag design. The back taillights are bigger and fit in with the bumper than they did before. There are also a lot of different wheel choices. The 16-inch wheels that come standard with the base LXS grade are enlarged to 18 inches, and the 18-inch wheels that come standard with the EX and GT-Line are specially made. The top-of-the-line model, the GT, has 19-inch wheels and 245/40R-19 Pirelli P-Zero tires. Stock on the GT are bright green brake pads that match the stitching on the seats. What’s inside is what’s important? On the subject of seat stitching, the inside of the 2025 K5 has been completely redone with new technology and a few high-quality updates. The new 12.3-inch tablet in the middle and the 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster can be put behind a single piece of curved glass if you want to. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay can now be used wirelessly in the K5 line of Kia cars. The screen is also faster, and you can now get updates over the phone. Kia has changed the HVAC and music settings to a one-screen, two-function layout that is easier for people to use. The little screen lets you switch between the two functions of the dial so that you can change the volume or the A/C with just one. For 2025, there are also changes to the center panel that include bigger cupholders, a wireless charging pad, and USB-C ports on the front and back. Even though Kia hasn’t said for sure, the K5 will be available at dealerships in the spring. In the months before that date, official prices should be made public. Even with the extra nice features that come standard, the price will not go up much from the base model of $26,745 for the 2024.
