The Kia EV5 debuted in China at the end of 2023. Throughout 2024, the model entered the markets of Australia, Brazil, and several other countries, while in Europe, sales began only this fall. Nevertheless, the company has already confirmed the preparation of a facelift.
Plans for the facelift were announced by Kia Australia’s general product planning manager, Roland Rivero. In a comment to Drive, he mentioned that the EV5 will undergo standard mid-life changes, including design and technology updates. The company is not disclosing specific details yet.
Kia EV5
One of the possible improvements could be charging. The EV5 is built on the 400-volt N3 eK platform, rather than the 800-volt E-GMP architecture, which is used by more expensive Hyundai and Kia electric vehicles. The maximum fast DC charging power is 140 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 10 to 80% in approximately 38 minutes. In this respect, the EV5 lags behind competitors such as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7, as well as Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 models. A shift to the 800-volt system as part of the facelift is not expected, but the company may try to reduce charging time and improve efficiency, which would increase range.
It is not yet clear whether the update will affect the interior of the production version. Last month, Kia presented the EV5 Weekender concept aimed at an off-road theme. It featured a different cabin layout: instead of two separate screens, there is a single panel with displays for the multimedia system and passenger, while a compact digital instrument panel is placed in front of the driver. The concept also received a new steering wheel and redesigned center console.
The facelift is expected by the end of 2026, and sales of the updated version outside China could begin in 2027.
Source: Drive
