Kia EV5: Facelift announced with new cockpit and stronger engines
Image: Kia (illustrative)
Kia appears to be preparing a facelift for its all-electric EV5. After camouflaged prototypes were photographed as early as summer 2026, new videos from South Korea show the vehicle without camouflage, featuring a redesigned exterior and an updated interior. Meanwhile, registration documents have surfaced in Australia detailing technical changes to the models available there and offering a glimpse of the updated design.
The footage captured in a South Korean parking garage shows an EV5 with modified bumpers, new design elements, and a changed center console. The basic shape of the body and its distinctive lighting signature remain largely intact, while the front design draws inspiration from the EV5 WKNDR concept car unveiled in 2025. The visible changes to the dashboard are much more extensive: a large display stretches from the center of the vehicle to the passenger side, supplemented by a narrow instrument panel in front of the steering wheel.
More specific technical details are provided in Australian registration documents, which were reported on by several industry publications in early November 2026. According to these documents, the power output of the front-wheel-drive version there increases from 160 to 175 kW (218/238 hp), while the all-wheel-drive version will now deliver 249 instead of 230 kW (339/313 hp). The existing lithium-iron-phosphate batteries with capacities of 64.2 and 88.1 kWh will remain in use, per the documents. Meanwhile, the braked towing capacity of the standard range version increases from 300 to 750 kilograms, while the figures of 1250 kilograms remain for the other variants.
In Germany, the EV5 is available only since the end of 2025 and differs technically from the Australian version produced in China. The European model is manufactured in South Korea and comes equipped with an 81.4-kWh battery. The front-wheel-drive base version delivers 160 kW (218 hp) and offers a range of up to 530 kilometers according to WLTP standards, according to Kia. All-wheel-drive variants with 195 kW (265 hp) as well as the EV5 GT with 225 kW (306 hp) are also available for ordering. The list prices in Germany start at 45,990 euros, while the EV5 GT costs at least 59,990 euros.
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Specifically, possible changes to the charging and high-voltage technology are under consideration. The current European EV5 uses a 400-volt architecture and achieves a maximum charging power of 150 kW during DC charging according to the manufacturer. There have been speculations about switching to an 800-volt system, but no official confirmation or technical documentation for such an update has been released yet. New WLTP range figures, altered battery sizes, or higher charging capacities for a potential European model refresh have also not been confirmed so far.
Kia has announced that it will introduce the revised EV5 in Australia by mid-2027. According to the Australian automotive website CarExpert, adjustments to the suspension setup are also planned to suit local road conditions. Kia has not yet specified a release date for Germany or other European markets. Since the EV5 was launched in China at the end of 2023, while the European version arrived in late 2025, the timing of model introductions varies across different regions.
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About the author
Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with professional experience in the automotive industry and finance sector. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.
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