The Kia EV5 Earth is born and bred in Singapore, and also possesses a whimsical sense of wonder
Like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, the Kia EV5 Earth is another EV that is built at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center Singapore (HMGICS).
Legacy car brands like Kia channel its spirit with its products and the EV5 is no exception.
The EV5 Earth sits on an elegant set of 19-inch alloy rims and cuts a smart and imposing figure that conceals its size well. In fact, it isn’t until you get up close and personal to it in real life that you realise it is larger than its LxBxH dimensions of 4615mm x 1875mm x 1715mm might otherwise suggest.
It may wear the familiar shape of a powerful SUV, but the little design touches elevate it for a more contemporary appeal, especially to younger families.
The digital “Tiger Face” creates a decidedly distinctive light signature that is unmistakably Kia.
The EV5 is modern, but not too futuristic and exudes a rugged cool that is suited to both Singapore’s concrete jungle, as well as the “wilderness” of the Neo Tiew countryside.
We like that the interior features a balanced fusion of digital and analogue elements, with the cabin configuration boasting a host of intelligent solutions to enhance the occupants’ life-on-board.
For starters, the doors do not open to an oversized touchscreen tablet taking centrestage, an increasingly common sight in many of the new EV brands.
As a legacy car brand, Kia has some visual identity and evolutionary continuity to its cabin architecture, with the Panoramic Integrated Cluster taking pride of place within.
Thankfully, the aircon vents and controls are still reassuringly physical, so there’s no fussing around with a slippery touchscreen on the move when you’re trying to do something as simple as aim the vent elsewhere.
The thoughtfully designed interior has been reimagined to be your home away from home, with plenty of inspiration drawn from its EV9 big brother.
The cabin exudes a cosy, lounge-like ambience and serves as one’s safe space on longer journeys, especially with a front massaging seat keeping you relaxed.
There are storage bins abound, including a second-row console box with a cooling/warming feature (pictured above), while the second-row can be folded flat for maximum utility.
The rear parcel shelf doubles as a multi-purpose table for when you’re parked up at the beach, a cool party trick for you to eat on, or simply to serve as a flat surface on which the kids can do their homework.
Power for your devices isn’t too far away either, because the EV5 features the useful V2L (Vehicle to Load) function (pictured above), which ensures your gadgets and gizmos are kept properly juiced up for heavy use.
With cars getting bigger and lots staying the same size, the car’s occupants can face trouble getting in and out of a parked car, which is where the EV5’s Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 comes in handy.
As the name implies, the EV5 can be vacated before entering/exiting the parking lot, because its advanced sensors can operate power, brakes, steering and shifting to ease the car in and out of parking spaces by using the key-fob.
Now, we aren't the sort that needs to have our transportation lightning quick, least of all if the interior space is relaxing to be in and it is meant to serve commuting duties.
It’s about being fast enough, and the EV5 Earth’s 136hp and 310Nm acquit themselves well in an urban environment like Singapore’s.
Even leisurely driven, it has just about enough oomph to hustle and bustle with the rest of the peak traffic crowd, even as the occupants enjoy its cabin’s serene solace. The EV5 is clearly one of those cars where a large part of the enjoyment comes from relishing the wonder of the journey, instead of just fixating on the destination.
KIA EV5 Earth
Battery: 88.1kWh, Lithium-Ion Polymer
Power: 100kW (136hp)
Torque: 310Nm
0-100km/h: 11.6secs
Top speed: 185km/h
Range (WLTP): 540km (combined)
