The Ford Escape we bought for my son in high school (which also survived his first year of college) recently suffered an expensive transmission failure. I’m done paying to fix it.
I let my son have some input on the replacement. He wanted something sportier, while I prioritized safety and reliability. The K5 seemed like a good middle ground.
Today, I picked up a 2021 KIA K5 GT-Line with 39k miles. A mechanic checked it out beforehand and said it was in good shape. It has lane correction and emergency braking for safety. The total cost, including taxes and fees, was $21k.
In my opinion, the K5’s 1.6L turbo 4-cylinder is peppy but not too powerful. My son is a responsible kid where it counts.
Did I make a mistake with this choice? Any advice or recommendations are welcome.
The GT-Line is as fast as other average sedans, so he shouldn’t run into any trouble with it. However, you might want to take it to a dealership to get the gas tank checked. The 1.5 had an expansion issue, and there’s a bulletin for a fix. Kia might have avoided a full recall by changing powertrains in the 2025 models. Either way, it’s worth a check. A few cars have had issues mentioned here.
The K5 has been great for me! I haven’t had any mechanical problems with the three I’ve owned. There was indeed a recall for the gas tank expansion on the 2021 I had, so the dealership can check for that. I think your son will love the car! I really enjoy my 2025 K5 GT Line AWD.
You got a good final price. If you’re the second owner, you should still have some warranty left. They are generally reliable cars, but the build quality could be better, especially with the chrome trims that tend to come off. I had a 2021 GT-Line, and my main issue was that the wireless CarPlay connection wasn’t stable. Still, it’s a fun car to own, enjoy it.