Kia K5 to be Axed in Canada
The midsize sedan segment will lose at least one player for the 2025 model year. The Car Guide has received confirmation that the Kia K5 will not return to Canada.
It will continue to be offered in the U.S., where sedans are historically more popular.
- Also: Refreshed Kia K5 Unveiled in Korea, Coming for 2025
- Also: Dual-Clutch Transmission Issues in Hyundai, Kia Models Lead to Recall
Only 874 units of the K5 were sold on this side of the border in 2023 and 934 units the previous year—well below the numbers posted by the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It’s been by far Kia’s worst-selling product since the demise of the Stinger.
As a matter of fact, customers can no longer order a new K5. Dealers are simply getting rid of the ones they still have in stock.
That means Canadians won’t get the refreshed Kia K5 we told you about last October following the debut of the Korean-spec model. The mid-cycle update includes cosmetic revisions front and rear along with new wheels and body colours.
The biggest changes can be found inside, starting with a large curved display combining a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The HVAC controls below also take a page from other Kias, with a touch-based interface that can be switched to multimedia controls with one click.
A wireless smartphone charger lies at the front of the centre console, ahead of the new rotary-style shifter that replaces the current model’s unattractive lever. Kia has also updated interior trim and is offering new colour options.
One of the main complaints about the Kia K5 was that you couldn’t have AWD with the turbocharged 2.5-litre engine (290 hp, 311 lb-ft of torque), only with the smaller 1.6-litre mill (180 hp, 195 lb-ft). Things would likely have stayed that way for 2025.
Here’s a question: after the Soul EV, Stinger, Rio and now K5, which car will Kia eliminate next? Don’t be surprised if it’s the gas-powered Soul, whose Canadian sales were down 26 percent at the end of 2023. Kia no doubt prefers to focus on the new Niro crossover and possibly the addition of a fully electric EV3 or EV5. Stay tuned.