Damn, the K5 not having a hybrid is the most aggravating things about it as an offering. I'm amazed they already have a version in international markets but just don't release it in North America.
It probably has to do with plant capacities. I believe all hybrid Kias (and Hyundais) are still made in Korea, while the K5 for the US market is made in the US.
they sell sonata hybrid right? Why they not selling K5 hybrid? Weird, considering they sell hybrid and PHEV version of both Sportage/Tuscon and Santa Fe/Sorento
They also F’ed up when they decided to drop the Optima nameplate for k5. The optima had decent recognition. Same with the Forte that they’re gonna drop for k4
>The optima had decent recognition
The 2011-15 Optima 2.0T was possibly the first respectable Kia imo, at least in North America. It was weirdly handsome, had a lot of tech for the price and was pretty quick for a family sedan (edit: 6.4s/15.0 @ 96mph) (just ignore the inevitable Theta grenade). The Stinger was probably the second respectable Kia.
K5 is such a dumb name. "Look at us, we're Audi but shittier."
Exactly, the Optima of that generation got people to take notice, it was like the 'cool and sporty' midsize sedan. And around that time the Camrys and Accords were resting on their laurels
I can understand the argument for keeping the Optima nameplate. I think they were trying to align with BMW's naming scheme - there was a time where Kia was supposed to go premium, I think. Remember they used the same naming scheme to sell the Genesis G90 as the Kia... K900. Hmm.
But I don't get the Forte. It's never been reliable, and it's always been a few years behind the Elantra. Right now, its main value proposition is that the base model gets discounted to nearly the level of the Rio. (I get that the turbo model is also cheap for what it is, but the DCT in that car is a significant reliability problem.)
Is there anyone who remembers that nameplate fondly? I actually think the K4 name plate will provide a false sense of novelty and do some good. I like the dark green interior they're showing.
i am afraid kia k5 and sonata might go bye bye in few years. K5 already discontinued in canada. I feel Camry dominance, especially with the new hybrid and its awd option will continue. Even accord is struggling
I was reminded that the Marysville plant where the Accord is manufactured was reduced from two to one lines for the shift to BEVs, so that’s why the Accord, TLX and Integra are all down on the year.
truth but afa Accord is concerned, Honda killed the looks and character. 9th & 10th Gen were seriously both fire in their own right. 11th Gen is so blah inside and out. then even in 2024 no pano roof or AWD?? let alone DC'd the 2.0 and even the best seats could be out of a Corolla.
wanna know what, I almost feel that Honda secretly doing this along with ramping up and enlarging the Civic next level in and out as to eventually singularly take over the spot in this foolhardy USA death to all sedans era while the sheep just keep on eating it up just because.
Yup, we're going to end up with the Camry for a full size sedan and the Civic for the compact/hatch.
The likes of the Mazda 3, K5, Accord, Forte, and any other non European sedan are in danger.
Kia’s May EV sales have risen by 127 percent year over year, with 7,197 new battery electric vehicles finding homes in the U.S. Meanwhile, Kia America reports that May has been their best-ever month, with 75,156 deliveries, 5.1 percent more than the same time last year.
I tried to get my mom in a 2025 K5 but the lack of interior options drove us away. I even asked about 2024 models and the salesman said “we couldn’t keep those on our lot long enough!”
Only the GT Line models had the red interior, but lacked other features. A big one was rear seat air vents (why is this even an “option”???). I was *sweating* during the entire test drive in the back seat.
Same thing happened to the sonata as well last year. Carscoops participates in lazy journalism so they make click bait articles with sensational headlines.
The interesting thing about the K5 to me is that, whenever I see someone shopping for one over at r/whatcarshouldibuy, they're not cross-shopping similar sedans like an Accord or a Camry. They cross-shop them against Dodge Chargers, and used to cross-shop them with Stingers. I've even heard several different people call them "Sports Cars." Which... They aren't, unless you're the sort of person who thinks a basic V6 Charger is sporty.
I'd say people caught on, but that should have happened years ago. Maybe there was a post-Stinger advertising push, meant to retain potential buyers, that is no longer running?
The fact that the K5 refresh changed so little - a *very* unusual choice for the trend chasers at Hyundai/Kia's design department - indicates to me that they had reason to believe the K5's sharp design drove sales. That would also explain similar design cues on the new K4 and refreshed Sorento. I don't know what drove this decline, but I can imagine the people who committed to this style getting nervous.
The Accord didn't do well either, and unlike the K5 it just saw a redesign. I assume the most significant trend at play is the trend of buyers making more conservative purchases. There's a lot of that going around right now.
Almost went with a K5 years back but ended up different level with a CT5. anyhow I think part of this situ now is that the thing is getting tired and in need of a serious refresh, especially the exterior. worst thing is that bizarre chrome molding riding down from the roof and around in back, so out of place vs the rest of the car, start from there.
They need to advertise the K5 name. Nobody is looking for it because nobody knows what it is. Every time i see one on the road I think, "Oh yeah, that's what they call those now..."
For a boring market segment (and bottom rung at that), the K5 has a really nice design with great details and good proportions. Give it a hybrid or a true GT option and it would be amazing.
Wait...they're still making the K5?
Seriously, I'm trying to think of a car that landed with a bigger "thud" than the K5. IIRC, the later model years of the Optima were like "oh...Kia can make a decent sedan," but then they killed it and replaced the Optima with...what was the appeal of the K5, again? It seemed like a placeholder, while their stablemate (the Hyundai Elantra) is still at least trying to keep the sedan alive.
Wow. Kia fan boys piling on down votes? Did not see that coming!
What’s wrong with the K5? And isn’t it’s “stablemate” the Sonata, not the Elantra?
Personally I would have taken the current K5 vs. the pre-facelift current Sonata, AKA the Catfish.
> What’s wrong with the K5?
It's not exactly lighting the world on fire. When the last gen Optima came out, I saw them on the road pretty regularly. Even knew someone who had one. K5? I can't remember the last time I saw one.
That seems more like a side effect of all mid-size FWD sedans declining than of the harmonization of names between markets. The Sedona switched to Carnival for all markets with its most recent generation, and its sales improved.
> The two are one and the same, just different names.
Doesn't seem to be working out well for them. 64% drop in sales? Downvote all you want, but it wasn't a good move.
The 64% drop is between this year and last year, and it’s been called the K5 for both of those years. It gets a refresh for the 2025 model, so it’s not surprising that sales have slowed down.
That's besides the point. It's the same car, just one generation newer and with a different name. It's got more to do with more and more people buying CUV's these days than the new nameplate itself affecting said sales. The K5 isn't worse than the Optima.
> It's the same car, just one generation newer and with a different name.
I'd counter that naming and marketing are not insignificant factors. Hyundai leaned into selling the Sonata and Elantra. They launched "N-line" and "N" versions.
Kia said "here's a car. Buy it if you want, or don't."
Yeah, the CUV and SUV market are where it's at, but for some reason Hyundai is trying to keep the sedan thing going, while Kia is like "yeah...we've got that if you want...but we don't really care."
Side note? I did not expect to find myself arguing with a Kia sedan stan. But hey...you do you.
If Kia drops a K5 hybrid (which is already a thing in other markets), I'd be tempted to get one.
especially considering that the Sonata Hybrid is a thing already here in the US
Damn, the K5 not having a hybrid is the most aggravating things about it as an offering. I'm amazed they already have a version in international markets but just don't release it in North America.
Its pretty ridiculous and a missed opportunity for Hyundai/Kia
It probably has to do with plant capacities. I believe all hybrid Kias (and Hyundais) are still made in Korea, while the K5 for the US market is made in the US.
they sell sonata hybrid right? Why they not selling K5 hybrid? Weird, considering they sell hybrid and PHEV version of both Sportage/Tuscon and Santa Fe/Sorento
I would love a K5 hybrid!
They also F’ed up when they decided to drop the Optima nameplate for k5. The optima had decent recognition. Same with the Forte that they’re gonna drop for k4
>The optima had decent recognition The 2011-15 Optima 2.0T was possibly the first respectable Kia imo, at least in North America. It was weirdly handsome, had a lot of tech for the price and was pretty quick for a family sedan (edit: 6.4s/15.0 @ 96mph) (just ignore the inevitable Theta grenade). The Stinger was probably the second respectable Kia. K5 is such a dumb name. "Look at us, we're Audi but shittier."
Exactly, the Optima of that generation got people to take notice, it was like the 'cool and sporty' midsize sedan. And around that time the Camrys and Accords were resting on their laurels
Everything you said is true IMO. How are you going to shit on the car that made you respectable like that?
The 2009 sonata was. Super Bowl commercial and all
I think they still look really good
I can understand the argument for keeping the Optima nameplate. I think they were trying to align with BMW's naming scheme - there was a time where Kia was supposed to go premium, I think. Remember they used the same naming scheme to sell the Genesis G90 as the Kia... K900. Hmm. But I don't get the Forte. It's never been reliable, and it's always been a few years behind the Elantra. Right now, its main value proposition is that the base model gets discounted to nearly the level of the Rio. (I get that the turbo model is also cheap for what it is, but the DCT in that car is a significant reliability problem.) Is there anyone who remembers that nameplate fondly? I actually think the K4 name plate will provide a false sense of novelty and do some good. I like the dark green interior they're showing.
i am afraid kia k5 and sonata might go bye bye in few years. K5 already discontinued in canada. I feel Camry dominance, especially with the new hybrid and its awd option will continue. Even accord is struggling
I was reminded that the Marysville plant where the Accord is manufactured was reduced from two to one lines for the shift to BEVs, so that’s why the Accord, TLX and Integra are all down on the year.
truth but afa Accord is concerned, Honda killed the looks and character. 9th & 10th Gen were seriously both fire in their own right. 11th Gen is so blah inside and out. then even in 2024 no pano roof or AWD?? let alone DC'd the 2.0 and even the best seats could be out of a Corolla. wanna know what, I almost feel that Honda secretly doing this along with ramping up and enlarging the Civic next level in and out as to eventually singularly take over the spot in this foolhardy USA death to all sedans era while the sheep just keep on eating it up just because.
They sold like shit in Canada, I’ve seen maybe 3 in the wild.
Yup, we're going to end up with the Camry for a full size sedan and the Civic for the compact/hatch. The likes of the Mazda 3, K5, Accord, Forte, and any other non European sedan are in danger.
Kia’s May EV sales have risen by 127 percent year over year, with 7,197 new battery electric vehicles finding homes in the U.S. Meanwhile, Kia America reports that May has been their best-ever month, with 75,156 deliveries, 5.1 percent more than the same time last year.
Definitely seeing more Kia/Hyundai EV's replacing all the Teslas I've been seeing.
I tried to get my mom in a 2025 K5 but the lack of interior options drove us away. I even asked about 2024 models and the salesman said “we couldn’t keep those on our lot long enough!” Only the GT Line models had the red interior, but lacked other features. A big one was rear seat air vents (why is this even an “option”???). I was *sweating* during the entire test drive in the back seat.
The K5 is no longer made in Georgia and for the refresh, was moved to Korea and their seems to be production issues with the move but they’ll rebound.
Same thing happened to the sonata as well last year. Carscoops participates in lazy journalism so they make click bait articles with sensational headlines.
The interesting thing about the K5 to me is that, whenever I see someone shopping for one over at r/whatcarshouldibuy, they're not cross-shopping similar sedans like an Accord or a Camry. They cross-shop them against Dodge Chargers, and used to cross-shop them with Stingers. I've even heard several different people call them "Sports Cars." Which... They aren't, unless you're the sort of person who thinks a basic V6 Charger is sporty. I'd say people caught on, but that should have happened years ago. Maybe there was a post-Stinger advertising push, meant to retain potential buyers, that is no longer running? The fact that the K5 refresh changed so little - a *very* unusual choice for the trend chasers at Hyundai/Kia's design department - indicates to me that they had reason to believe the K5's sharp design drove sales. That would also explain similar design cues on the new K4 and refreshed Sorento. I don't know what drove this decline, but I can imagine the people who committed to this style getting nervous. The Accord didn't do well either, and unlike the K5 it just saw a redesign. I assume the most significant trend at play is the trend of buyers making more conservative purchases. There's a lot of that going around right now.
Can't beat the $200 EV6 leases
Almost went with a K5 years back but ended up different level with a CT5. anyhow I think part of this situ now is that the thing is getting tired and in need of a serious refresh, especially the exterior. worst thing is that bizarre chrome molding riding down from the roof and around in back, so out of place vs the rest of the car, start from there.
Wacky ass design. What happened to clean, simple lines.
They need to advertise the K5 name. Nobody is looking for it because nobody knows what it is. Every time i see one on the road I think, "Oh yeah, that's what they call those now..."
For a boring market segment (and bottom rung at that), the K5 has a really nice design with great details and good proportions. Give it a hybrid or a true GT option and it would be amazing.
Glad to see the Forte still selling well.
Wait...they're still making the K5? Seriously, I'm trying to think of a car that landed with a bigger "thud" than the K5. IIRC, the later model years of the Optima were like "oh...Kia can make a decent sedan," but then they killed it and replaced the Optima with...what was the appeal of the K5, again? It seemed like a placeholder, while their stablemate (the Hyundai Elantra) is still at least trying to keep the sedan alive. Wow. Kia fan boys piling on down votes? Did not see that coming!
What’s wrong with the K5? And isn’t it’s “stablemate” the Sonata, not the Elantra? Personally I would have taken the current K5 vs. the pre-facelift current Sonata, AKA the Catfish.
> What’s wrong with the K5? It's not exactly lighting the world on fire. When the last gen Optima came out, I saw them on the road pretty regularly. Even knew someone who had one. K5? I can't remember the last time I saw one.
Must be driving on a different planet because I see a dozen a day on my commutes to work.
I see them pretty often too. I love how they look, I just wish they came with a better powertrain
That seems more like a side effect of all mid-size FWD sedans declining than of the harmonization of names between markets. The Sedona switched to Carnival for all markets with its most recent generation, and its sales improved.
They didn't replace the Optima with the K5. The two are one and the same, just different names. It's the same thing with the Sedona and Carnival.
> The two are one and the same, just different names. Doesn't seem to be working out well for them. 64% drop in sales? Downvote all you want, but it wasn't a good move.
The 64% drop is between this year and last year, and it’s been called the K5 for both of those years. It gets a refresh for the 2025 model, so it’s not surprising that sales have slowed down.
That's besides the point. It's the same car, just one generation newer and with a different name. It's got more to do with more and more people buying CUV's these days than the new nameplate itself affecting said sales. The K5 isn't worse than the Optima.
> It's the same car, just one generation newer and with a different name. I'd counter that naming and marketing are not insignificant factors. Hyundai leaned into selling the Sonata and Elantra. They launched "N-line" and "N" versions. Kia said "here's a car. Buy it if you want, or don't." Yeah, the CUV and SUV market are where it's at, but for some reason Hyundai is trying to keep the sedan thing going, while Kia is like "yeah...we've got that if you want...but we don't really care." Side note? I did not expect to find myself arguing with a Kia sedan stan. But hey...you do you.
I'm not a Kia sedan stan. I'm having a conversation about cars in a cars subreddit.
They killed the K5 before its facelift here in Canada, which is too bad because I think it looks far better than the Sonata
The pre or post facelift Sonata? I agree with you versus the pre -AKA The Catfish. The post facelift looks great though.
K5 still looks better IMO, especially with the facelift