Travis Langness/SlashGearKia's SUVs are making lots of headlines these days, with the big Telluride and its much smaller, style-similar sibling, the Seltos book-ending the automaker's large lineup of family-friendly vehicles, both with recent designs. And the SUVs are steadily taking over the lineup, too, with all but three slots at Kia reserved for non-SUVs (just one minivan and two sedans).Sedans like the 2026 K5, however, still have their place. Eager to drive basically any sedan (it's been a lot of SUVs around here lately), I jumped on the opportunity to test the latest K5.Travis Langness/SlashGearOn the outside, it's sporty, angular, and even somewhat aggressively styled for a midsize sedan. When it showed up in Kia's Steel Matte Gray color, I was pretty impressed. When I sat inside, it felt modern, well-appointed, and premium to the touch. There's the small issue of not being offered with a hybrid powertrain, which is a bit of a drawback, but I wasn't going to let that get in the way of driving enjoyment, and what's more, the 2026 K5 is still a relatively inexpensive sedan. It has a lot of value on the right trims — even if some rivals are more efficient, the K5 still has a significant amount of appeal.A classy interior gives the K5 a leg upTravis Langness/SlashGearLike a number of Kia products these days, one of the high points for the K5 is the interior, so it's worth talking about that first. Spacious enough for four adults (or five in a squeeze) the K5 feels classier than you might expect, certainly outkicking its coverage when it comes to interior quality for the price. The stitching is all arrow-straight, the panel gaps are all consistent, and the quality of the materials used in high-traffic touch points (like where your elbows sit, or your hands rest) feels like it'll hold up to long-term use.Travis Langness/SlashGearIt's not particularly bright or cheery on the inside of the K5, with its black-on-gray theme, but the monochromatic nature of the interior lends itself to the upscale feel. I wouldn't go as far as saying the K5 feels like a German luxury sedan on the inside, but the motif makes me believe Kia has studied some other high-end automakers and been influenced, at least a bit.Travis Langness/SlashGearThere's lots of space for all your small stuff, too. Even if you're used to an SUV that's similarly sized, the K5 should have you covered in terms of large center console space, big cupholders, and lots of plugs for your devices. Given where the A/C vents are placed it can be a little difficult to adjust them, but once you get them set for your preferences, that problem goes away.There's a back-and-forth with features and techTravis Langness/SlashGearLike the rest of the interior, the K5's tech interface was one of several things that stood out to me during my test, but it had its ups and downs. Connecting my iPhone and booting up Apple CarPlay was easy the first time, and lightning-fast every time I loaded into the car. The large 12.3-inch touchscreen has a simple look to it, but it's high contrast and the controls are mostly easy to find. Below the touchscreen, however, is an interface I would definitely prefer to switch out.Underneath the touchscreen are climate control vents, and below those are the controls for the climate control, at least when you select that as the available commands. It also doubles as the home for media controls. You have to toggle between the two displays to get several tasks done, and it felt unintuitive.Travis Langness/SlashGearMore than just the touch-sensitive controls, toggling between the two uses for the control panel also changes what the physical knobs do, too. No matter how many times I reached down to change the volume or adjust the climate control, I almost always got one task or the other wrong. Thankfully, the array of steering wheel controls was much more user-friendly, so I ended up relying on those instead. And, to help balance things out, the optional 12-speaker Bose stereo was a nice added touch.Not a lot of power and not a lot of mpgTravis Langness/SlashGearPowering the GT-Line K5 that I was testing was a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and — in my test-vehicle's case — using front-wheel drive. It puts out 191 horsepower and 181.5 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to get the K5 moving, but not in a hurry. The upshifts and downshifts from the 8-speed auto are quick enough to warrant no complaints, but the sub-200-horsepower acceleration thrust is pretty weak for a vehicle that looks as dynamic as the K5 does. For speed-hungry drivers, there's the 290-hp K5 GT, which also uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, but — with the addition of a turbocharger and being paired with a dual-clutch automatic — it feels much spicier.Travis Langness/SlashGearMuch in the same way that the smaller K4 sedan has a hard time doing battle with the hybrid-powered Honda Civic, the Kia K5 has its work cut out for it against hybrids like the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry in the efficiency department. Non-turbo front-wheel drive versions of the K5 are rated at 29 or 30 mpg combined, according to the EPA, with all-wheel drive and turbo versions both dropping to 27 mpg combined.The Toyota Camry is an excellent example of where the K5's engine offerings fall short. The Camry is offered exclusively as a hybrid these days, and its fuel economy ratings start with its sportiest models at 43 mpg combined, while some trims offer as high as 51 mpg combined. With the direction gas prices have been headed in lately, it's hard to pass on something that efficient, especially when you consider the Camry's extra power (as much as 232 hp on all-wheel drive models) compared to the standard K5.Ride and handling get the job doneTravis Langness/SlashGearSitting below the sportier GT in the lineup, the GT-Line K5 isn't exactly a canyon carver, but it's still enjoyable to drive on a winding road. The suspension keeps the K5 flat through most corners, without much body roll. Steering is well weighted though it lacks feel (like a lot of rivals in the class), and if you want a bit more performance from the K5, the more-powerful GT offers sport-tuned suspension that should crank things up a notch.As a city car, the K5 makes a ton of sense. It's comfortable and quiet over rough roads. The GT-Line's 18-inch wheels might look a bit small in the wheel well, but the extra tire sidewall likely helps absorb a bit of impact compared to the available 19-inch wheels. And, while I wouldn't go with black (I think black wheels disappear on basically every car), I do like the forward-leaning five-spoke wheel design.Travis Langness/SlashGearHit a pothole or an errant bump in the K5 and it'll jostle a bit, but the ride settles quickly. The simple but supportive front seats are comfortable, too. Hours on the road were no sweat. The seats are also well-bolstered enough to hold you in place around a few of those corners. The K5 is also easy to maneuver, with good sight lines, so it's easy to park. Drive this thing on a daily basis, and it'll probably be a while before you curb a wheel.Getting your money's worthTravis Langness/SlashGearThe various trim levels of the K5 are pretty simple, with just four to remember — LXS, GT-Line, GT, and EX — and all offering strong value. The base LXS trim starts at $28,735 (including a $1,245 destination fee) for 2026, and it comes with the standard entry-level fare like cloth upholstery and a manually adjustable steering column and seats. Still, it also gets most of the K5's driver aids like blind-spot monitoring, forward collision avoidance, and adaptive cruise control.The GT-Line is the sweet spot, and I'm glad it's the one I was able to test. It's available in both front- and all-wheel drive, which makes it a bit of a rarity amongst family sedans, and which gives it a leg up when it comes to fighting SUVs. With front-wheel drive it starts at $29,735 and adds features on top of the LXS like fog lights, extra window sound deadening, some leather-wrapped interior bits, a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and leatherette upholstery.Travis Langness/SlashGearMy test car had an as-tested price of $32,830, but that included some options like the Panoramic sunroof, unique wheels, and some special floor mats. I could leave most of that behind and save some cash. The big-power GT checks in at $34,835 and the premium EX trim has an MSRP of $36,235, and both trims justify their price. The GT, at the very least, with its beefy engine, and the EX with added equipment like ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a 360-degree camera. The higher horsepower of the turbocharged GT has its appeal, but if I were buying a K5, I'd stick with the GT-Line.2026 Kia K5 verdictTravis Langness/SlashGearThe 2026 Kia K5 is an affordable four-door that feels premium when it's stacked up against the competition. It also has exterior styling that stands out from the crowd and an interior that continues the impressive quality-for-money pattern. The K5 is one of the most affordable choices in the segment, too, but it does make some sacrifices to keep that price low.The lack of an available hybrid powertrain means it'll cost you more to fuel in the long run, and the base engine isn't very exciting. The upgraded GT version of the K5 does deserve a closer look, but the increased price starts to put it in range of some strong rivals. The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are the two strongest sedans in the midsize segment, and you could also go with an SUV instead of the K5. But if you like the look and driving feel of a sedan as much as I do, you'll want to have a go behind the wheel of the four-door Kia.
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