Why overcomplicate a vehicle’s naming convention?

Picture the Kia brand team sitting in the pre-production meeting, years of expertise primed or an inciteful debate:

“So, what are we going to call this car, Bob?”

“How about EV-five Helen?”

“Sounds good, sign it off.”

Kudos Kia, a real-world application of the KISS principle (Keep it Simple Stupid). I’m being cheeky of course, but let’s run with the fantasy anyway.

Kia is not the alone in single digit car monikers – Mazda, Polestar, Tesla, BMW and plenty of others have already paved the way. Kia explained that their naming scheme was to help consumers easily identify the EVs in its lineup. Hard to argue with that.

At Kia’s investor day conference in April 2024, CEO Ho Sung Song announced aspirational plans to produce 15 different EVs by 2027. I guess that means the single digit naming convention is on the precipice of becoming double digits. Watch out for a Kia EV-15 sometime in the future.

The Kia EV5 is the third EV from Kia, sitting between the popular EV6 and their flagship EV9.

Their EV6 was launched way back in May 2022, with 1,681 being sold to Kiwis to date. A refreshed version was launched for the Korean market in May 2024 but there have been no announcements yet as to international market deliveries.

Pictures of the updated Kia EV6 model indicate the retention of the sleek fascia and sporty design, giving aesthetic separation from the more retro-styled EV5. The design cues are markedly different, potentially opening the door for a new customer base that will prefer the boxy look.

• The EV5 is a medium sized five-seater SUV (technically called a compact crossover SUV) that looks like a smaller version of the EV9.
• It’s 4,615mm long, which is slightly longer than the new Corolla Cross Hybrid (4,460mm). By comparison, the Kia Sportage SUV petrol hybrid is 4,660mm long.
• All models get an 88.1 kWh LFP Blade battery, sourced from BYD. The Blade battery was launched in 2020 and has been used by Tesla, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota and others. The Blade utilises a honeycomb design, providing increased rigidity and safety benefits.
• Entry price is $67,990, putting it within a very competitive bracket that includes the top selling Tesla 3 and Y models.
• The look is purposefully boxy, designed to form fit families utilising maximum interior cabin room.
• The EV5 comes with five years of free Kia Connect. This App can remotely control real time tracking, climate control, SOS calls if airbags are deployed, vehicle health status, EV charging status and more.

• We drove the front wheel drive version, predominately around Auckland city streets. Kia tells us that suspension tuning and steering was extensively tested and refined for Australian and New Zealand drivers. The Kia technicians have done a good job; the EV5 feels agile and suitably balanced.
• But don’t expect sports car handling. This is a family car, designed with daily utility in mind as opposed to carving up bendy roads. Having said that, the all-wheel-drive GT-Line version (yet to be tested by us) will presumably have a firmer set up that’s more attuned to performance driving.
• EVs are generally heavy. The EV5 tips two tonnes with passengers on board, but weight distribution is excellent, providing confident grip, dampening, braking and acceleration.
• For the intended customer base, the EV5’s drivability will appeal, it’s quiet, smooth and a step up from most of the competition.

The EV5 currently has a 5 Star VSRR safety rating but will undergo ANCAP crash testing in the last quarter of 2024.

The Kia EV5 ticks all the boxes potential EV buyers are looking for, space, design, comfort, technology, handling, and price.

It genuinely has the hallmarks of a segment-leading EV.

However, the one box the EV5 cannot influence is New Zealand’s dismal EV market in 2024.

Current EV supply outstrips EV demand by a factor not worth mentioning. It’s a shame, because market uncertainty takes the gloss off what would otherwise be the launch of a stellar new entrant from Kia.

Pricing unpredictability from competitors is equally concerning. RRP downward creep and significant discounting is becoming the norm, creating an environment where consumers are hesitant to commit, for fear today’s great deal, is tomorrow’s regret.

When the EV market corrects, there is no doubt the EV5 will rightfully shine.

EV5 Model Line up

EV Comparisons (Entry Level Models)