Kia K5 Returns for 2023 Without LX, Few Other Changes
By Brian Normile
August 17, 2022
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2023 Kia K5 | Manufacturer image
Despite swirling rumors about its impending demise in the U.S., Kia’s K5 sedan is returning for the 2023 model year. Not returning is its base LX trim, but aside from that and the lack of all-wheel drive for the LXS, most of the other changes to the K5 are minimal.
There’s a new option package for the GT-Line that includes a panoramic moonroof and gloss-black exterior trim, and the AWD GT-Line now comes standard with a heated steering wheel. The EX, GT-Line and GT also get acoustic glass for the front-door windows.
It’s possible that the trim consolidation and lack of updates for 2023 also indicate the K5’s lack of a future here, but Kia hasn’t yet made anything official. As such, despite the loss of the LX, K5 buyers can still choose from one of two powertrains: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission or the GT’s higher-performance turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. The GT-Line is available with AWD; all other trims now are front-wheel drive only.
The 2023 Kia K5 is on sale now, and pricing (including a $1,095 destination fee) is as follows:
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Road Test Editor
Brian Normile
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.