Kia’s K5 has a dumb name, but it’s low-key one of the best affordable mid-size sedans that you can buy, and thanks to an announcement made by Kia on Tuesday, we know it’s getting just a little better for 2023.
The biggest changes to the 2023 K5 are the deletion of the previous base model LX trim and the removal of an all-wheel drive option from the now-base LXS trim. Simplified product stacks are generally a good thing, and four trim levels seem like plenty.
Also new is the option of a panoramic glass roof on the GT-line trim, which also includes LED interior lighting and blacked-out trim. Is it earth-shattering? Nope, but will it add some nice atmosphere to an already pleasant cabin? In the words of the late, great Robert Evans: “You bet your ass it will.”
Pricing for the 2023 Kia K5 LXS starts at an eminently reasonable $26,185, including a $1,095 destination fee, while the top-tier 2.5-liter turbocharged GT will run you just $32,585. That 2.5 turbo engine is a spicy one, too, with 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The smaller 1.6-liter motor isn’t bad either, with 180 hp and 195 lb-ft.
We asked Kia when the K5 might be expected to hit dealer showrooms but didn’t receive a response in time for publication. If we were to hazard a guess, we’d say “soon.”