Kia showcases new EV5 electric compact SUV, targeted at millennials

Kia has showcased its new all-electric EV5 SUV to the world at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. According to the South Korean car giant, the new EV5 will target a younger segment of buyers by offering “a new era of electric mobility to the compact SUV sector to meet the needs of millennial families.”

“The Kia EV5 was created to redefine the compact SUV genre with a form shaped by Kia’s unique design philosophy ‘Opposites United’,” said the head of Kia’s global design centre, Karim Habib.

“The EV5 sets a new standard for design, performance and practicality while providing new levels of driver enjoyment and user experience.”

From the outside, like its larger 7-seater EV9 counterpart, the EV5 has what Kia calls a “Tiger Face” front grille design. There are also daytime running lights (DRL) on offer which also appear to be running along the width of the vehicle.

From the rear, it includes a flat tail end which is likely to offer more space in the boot than some other curvy SUVs.

The EV5 will be offered in nine colours along with a matte option and includes:

• Snow White Pearl
• Clear White
• Starry Night Black
• Magma Red
• Ivory Silver
• Frost Blue
• Iceberg Green
• Tide Blue
• Shale Grey
• Ivory Silver (matte)

The matte option reminds us of Kia’s current small EV6 SUV which had a matte colour that could be optioned.

Moving onto the inside, Kia is planning on delivering more space thanks to the spacious design queues its adopted from the larger EV9 SUV. 

It also offers adjustable interior lighting in up to 64 colours with the ability to adjust the brightness of the lighting. These interior lights also change depending on the driving modes selected along with the ability to alert the driver when the car is travelling over the speed limit.

The EV5 will also allow the driver to adjust the interior cabin heating before getting in the car. This is something that Tesla owners have enjoyed for years so it’s good to see it being rolled out in Kia’s new vehicles as well.

The EV5 will officially launch in China later this year. Kia expects to reveal more details on the upcoming EV5 SUV, including price, at Kia’s EV day that’s pencilled in for October. That’s when Kia plans to bring its EV lineup into the spotlight and showcase future EV models.