2024 Kia K5 GT Price, Release Date, Models – The 2024 Kia K5 is a five-seat automobile with a fresh design and name (formerly known as the Optima). It is against the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Hyundai Sonata. The K5 is offered in four trim levels: LX, LXS, GT-Line, EX, and GT, and excels in safety and functionality.
2024 Kia K5 Redesign
The GT-Line and above trim levels come standard with navigation, while the EX and GT come standard with a surround-view camera system. With its distinctive, almost threatening exterior and interior built for long-distance or everyday driving, the 2024 Kia K5 continues the trend toward more flamboyant mid-size family sedans. In the front of the K5, there’s LED lighting and a hawk-like grille. It has a great roofline highlighted by metallic trim and many taillights that give it a slim, elegant look.
With the debut of a new GT model, the K5 piques our interest. The GT has a maximum output of 290 horsepower but only sends it to the front wheels, frequently sacrificing steering and stability. Most K5s come standard with a 180-horsepower turbo-4 engine that is both efficient and lively, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that shifts smoothly. Both come with an all-wheel drive, but the GT only comes with a front-wheel drive.
Interior
Although the K5 can seat five passengers and their luggage, Kia has separated its customer base between affordable entry-level vehicles and ritzy premium versions. We give the K5 an 8 for its superior front-and rear-seat comfort and its roomy trunk. The K5 is a mid-size vehicle with a length of 193.1 inches and a wheelbase of 112.2 inches. Passengers take their seats in front, which can be adjusted to various positions. On entry-level vehicles, power seats are standard; on higher-end models, heating and cooling are paired with synthetic leather. While the form of Kia’s seat coolers makes long travel less comfortable, they are necessary in certain locations where the catcher’s glove doubles as an oven mitt.
The rear compartment of the K5 offers large doors and sufficient headroom; 6-footers can enter comfortably even with the panoramic sunroof installed, and they’ll appreciate the 35.2 inches of legroom. If necessary, three across is possible—or, on most models, the back seat folds down to expand the 16.0-cubic-foot trunk. While we appreciate the K5’s vibrant looks, the GT-Line and lower-end models feature more hard plastic than the GT or EX models. All models include fingerprint-encrusted shiny plastic doorknobs that are sure to irritate even the most picky. The EX and GT’s interiors are more expensive due to the use of synthetic leather.
Engine
The majority of K5 sedans are powered by a 180-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo-4 engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the front or all four wheels. It’s a capable performer, with rapid gear changes and an early torque peak that translates into strong acceleration off the line. When driving, it’s quite quiet and offers drive modes that aid in shifting and responding more quickly to stabby gas inputs. Whether you need all-wheel drive depends on how much and how long the roads are covered in ice. Most people don’t need it.
Switching to Sport mode also increases weight on the steering, resulting in a greater amount of usable on-center weight that assists the K5 in staying in its lane. It is devoid of sentimentality, but the execution is razor-sharp. At lower speeds, the K5’s ride may feel and sound rough and lumpy, especially when fitted with the higher-end trim levels’ 18-inch wheels. It gets better with speed, particularly on the mid-range 17-inch wheels, which are tuned for a well-controlled, soothing ride. The K5’s brakes perform admirably at any speed. The pedal never becomes excessively stiff or mushy.
2024 Kia K5 Release Date and Price
The $24,685 K5 GT comes equipped with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. When looking at the K5, think about the slightly more expensive $26,685 K5 LXS, which comes with a split folding back seat and blind-spot monitors. Or the more luxurious $28,585 EX, which comes with synthetic leather upholstery and LED headlights.