The 2027 Kia EV5 Heads To Canada With A Tesla Charge Port And A Low Price

• The Kia EV5 can now be ordered in Canada.
• When the entry-level version hits dealerships late next year, it will be the country’s cheapest new electric SUV.
• Orders for the 2027 EV5 are now open, with a starting price of CAD50,685 ($56,350).

The Kia EV5 electric family crossover is now officially available in Canada, where it instantly became one of the most affordable battery-powered SUVs. Canadians can now order the 2027 EV5 in no fewer than eight configurations that start from CAD50,685, which is the equivalent of $56,350 in the United States.

Slotting between the EV3 and EV9 in Kia’s lineup, the EV5 will be imported to Canada from South Korea. At first, just one battery option will be available, an 81.4-kilowatt-hour pack that enables a maximum estimated range of 285 miles (460 km) on the front-wheel drive variant and up to 257 miles (415 km) on the dual-motor versions.

That said, late next year, the cheapest EV5 will go on sale in Canada. The EV5 Light will start from CAD46,685 ($33,500, including levies), making it the most affordable electric SUV in the country. The entry-level trim will be powered by a smaller 60.4 kWh battery and will only be available with front-wheel drive. Due to the smaller-capacity battery, the EV5 Light has an estimated range of 208 miles (335 km), but it’s worth noting that all of the electric crossover’s versions have not been range-rated by Transport Canada yet.

All Canadian-bound 2027 Kia EV5 models come with automatic headlights, LED taillights, tinted rear windows, dual-zone climate control, dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats, rear air vents, a heat pump and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater.

Kia hasn’t revealed the charging specs for the Canadian-market EV5, but it said that the car comes from the factory with a Tesla-style NACS charge port, making it easier for owners to top up at Tesla Superchargers across Canada and the United States. That said, a charging adapter will be needed to use CCS-equipped DC fast chargers. In Europe, the EV5 with the big battery can accept up to 150 kilowatts of power, leading to a 10% to 80% charge time of 30 minutes.

Like all other EVs based on Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, the EV5 features vehicle-to-load (V2L), which enables owners to export power from the high-voltage battery through an adapter to keep appliances or tools running during an outage. That said, the EV5 is based on a 400-volt variation of the architecture, instead of the 800-volt system found in the EV6 and EV9.

The Kia EV5 has been available in Asia and Europe for quite some time, and it has finally landed in North America, where it faces fierce competition from models like the Chevrolet Equinox EV, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.

That said, American car buyers shouldn’t get their hopes up, as the EV5 is unlikely to land in U.S. showrooms anytime soon. Kia said it has no plans to offer the electric crossover stateside, despite the company initially stating the opposite.