Kia EV5 is a thoroughbred SUV for less than £40k… it’s practical, spacious and just as at home in town as the open road

EVERYTHING in life is a ­gamble.

Farting on a first date.

Telling the missus her sister’s prettier.

Eating out-of-date food.

Buying stuff on Temu.

DIY.

Ruben Amorim.

I’m sure you can think of more.

Now let’s talk cars.

Will your next motor be petrol or electric?

Stick or twist?

Electric cars are getting cheaper. Most only need recharging once a week.

But an EV still doesn’t work for everyone, so Kia is betting on red and black.

You want a city car?

Picanto or EV2.

You want a crossover?

Stonic or EV3.

You want a famiy hatch?

K4 or EV4.

‘STRAIGHT FLUSH’

You want a family SUV?

Sportage or EV5.

Hang on, put that lot together with EV6 and you’ve got 6-5-4-3-2, a straight flush.

The strongest hand in the business and we haven’t even included the big-daddy EV9 and PV5 van.

The car you see in the big picture is EV5, a smart Sportage-sized SUV that will become more and more popular as we hurtle headfirst towards 2035.

I say that because Sportage is Kia’s king right now, Britain’s second-best selling car.

But next year one in three new motors must be pure electric under the current ZEV mandate, rising to four in five by 2030.

So EV5 will be the car Sportage owners turn to.

I’m pleased to report that EV5 is another thoroughbred Kia in the mix for a 2026 World Car prize, after testing it while in LA for the Auto Show.

Practical, spacious and super comfy with heaps of rear leg room, sockets and pockets for all.

There’s another power socket in the boot for inflatables or a kettle.

Even a frunk — front trunk — for hiding Christmas ­prezzies from the kids.

Yes, of course there are buttons to warm and rub your back.

That twin-screen dash carries loads of technology including ­Disney+ and YouTube.

A head-up display projects speed and satnav on to the windscreen to keep your eyes on the road.

No complaints on the engineering side of things either.

EV5 is front-wheel drive with a 329-mile battery that recharges in 30 minutes.

‘SET UP FOR COMFORT’

You can bet on a hot 4WD version later.

The suspension is set up for comfort.

Acceleration and braking regen are nicely calibrated.

Life is just as easy gliding around town as it is on the open road.

Now we come to price.

Crucially, EV5 starts below £40,000 to avoid the Expensive Car

Supplement, saving owners £425 a year from years two to five.

Running costs versus petrol are cheaper too, especially for those who can charge at home.

Maybe EV5 isn’t much of a gamble at all.

But farting on a first date definitely is.