Kia’s newest electric offering is coming to North America, but not the U.S. The Kia EV5 electric crossover will be a direct rival to the Chevy Equinox EV, but it’s exclusive to the Canadian market in North America.
In the Korean brand’s EV lineup, the Kia EV5 is slotted above the Niro EV and below the EV6. While the EV6 has a sportier, wagon-like design, the EV5 is a boxier crossover styled similarly to the 3-row EV9. Although pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, Kia is touting the EV5’s affordability, which makes us think its pricing will likely be similar to that of the Chevy Equinox EV.
“In line with Kia’s commitment to being a mobility solutions provider, the company aims to continue to break down barriers to entry as the industry transitions to more electric vehicle ownership,” says David Sherrard, Director of Strategic Planning at Kia Canada. “Upon launch, EV5 will mark an important milestone as we introduce this vehicle as an affordable option, that will meet the needs of today’s modern consumer, in what is Canada’s most significant segment.”
A standard-range 60.3 kWh battery and a long-range 81.4 kWh battery will be available. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. Hyundai Motor Group is moving toward giving EVs NACS charging ports, and the Kia EV5 will be one of them, which will expand its fast charging access to the Tesla Supercharger network right out of the box.
One likely reason the Kia EV5 is headed for Canada is the proven popularity of compact electric SUVs at affordable price points in the country. We’ve reported on the huge success of the Chevy Equinox EV in Canada, which was GM’s third best-selling vehicle in Canada in 2024 after the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra duo of full-size pickups.
Also of note, Canadian EV incentives (the federal program is currently on hold, but there are still incentives offered by select provinces) don’t have country-of-origin restrictions like the U.S. federal EV tax credit does. Since the EV5 is made in China and Singapore and not in the U.S., it wouldn’t qualify for the lucrative $7,500 tax credit, which could be going away soon, anyway.
The Kia EV5 will be available at Canadian dealerships in 2026.
Comments
Wonder why Kia wouldn’t sell this in the US market.
Seems like it would be highly coveted over the more expensive (Coupe like) EV6
It says it right there in the article “Since the EV5 is made in China”. Although it said it would be also made in Singapore which I doubt is subject to tariffs.
Also, I believe we are getting the EV3. Yes its a smaller vehicle but maybe they want to start with an affordable compact and not something to internally compete with the already established EV6.
GM isn’t scared.