5 Causes The Kia K5 Is A Higher Buy Than A Toyota Camry

In the case of midsize sedans from Asian carmakers, Toyota’s Camry is nearly all the time the primary to come back to thoughts. American patrons love the perceived high quality, reliability, and the automotive’s potential to retain worth on the used market, regardless of there being some superior alternate options to the Toyota Camry. 

Over the previous 15 years, the Koreans managed to realize what the Japanese did some 50 years in the past. Immediately, many Hyundai and Kia fashions are appeared on as worthy alternate options to their rivals, however I feel the Kia K5 goes additional and is definitely capable of give the Camry an excellent spanking. I came upon 5 issues the K5 does higher than its Japanese rival.

Extra automotive for much less cash

Korean carmakers are at present doing an excellent job of promoting you plenty of automobiles for the cash. A couple of weeks in the past, I used to be pleasantly shocked by the Kia K4’s easy mix of some old-school and modern options, however the K5 takes this to a different stage. The Korean sedan wins the numbers recreation with the Toyota Camry, throughout virtually all points.

Whereas equally priced, the bottom Kia K5’s $28,365 makes it $1,630 inexpensive than the bottom Toyota Camry – $29,985. However virtually no person buys a base-model automotive. The 2025 Kia K5 tops out at $35,865 whereas the range-topping Camry will set you again $37,620. That stated, there are at present nice offers on each fashions for much less. 

Right here’s how the 2 automobiles measure up towards one another by way of dimensions

2025 Kia K5 dimensions

• Wheelbase – 112.2 inches

• Size – 193.1 inches

• Width – 73.2 inches

• Top – 56.9 inches

• Curb weight – 3,230-3.291 kilos (FWD)/ 3,463 kilos (AWD)

• Headroom (entrance/rear) – 40.2/37.8 inches

• Headroom (entrance/ rear) with panoramic sunroof – 38.4/37.4 inches

• Legroom (entrance/rear) – 46.1/35.2 inches

• Hiproom – (entrance/rear) – 56.6/56.6 inches

• Cargo capability – 15.6 cubic ft

2025 Toyota Camry dimensions

• Wheelbase – 111.2 inches

• Size – 193.7 inches

• Width – 72.4 inches

• Top – 56.9 inches

• Curb weight – 3,494 kilos

• Headroom (entrance/rear) – 38.3/37.6 inches

• Headroom (entrance/ rear) with panoramic sunroof – 37.5/37.6 inches

• Legroom (entrance/rear) – 42.1/38 inches

• Hiproom – (entrance/rear) – 55.4/54.6 inches

• Cargo capability – 15.1 cubic ft

Each fashions supply beneficiant commonplace gear, however the K5 offers you a bigger infotainment display screen free of charge

Whereas commonplace gear is complete for each the Kia K5 and Toyota Camry, the Korean sedan is a little more beneficiant. For starters, you get a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as commonplace on the K5. The Camry additionally presents a 12.3-inch display screen, however until you go for it, you’ll have to accept the usual 8.0-inch equal. 

I’m a agency believer that nothing ages a automotive fairly like know-how, but when you’re going to have a display screen protruding of the dashboard, it would as properly be a bigger one. By the best way, each sedans include wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Higher guarantee

At present, the Korean carmakers are unbeatable by way of guarantee. Within the case of the Kia K5, you’re getting a fundamental guarantee of 5 years or 60,000 miles (whichever comes first), accompanied by a 10-year drivetrain guarantee, and a five-year or 100,000-mile rust guarantee.

In the meantime, Toyota presents a three-year or 36,000-mile fundamental guarantee on the Camry, with a five-year or 60,000-mile drivetrain guarantee, and since the 2025 Toyota Camry is now a hybrid-only mannequin, an eight-year or 100,000-mile guarantee for the hybrid parts.

Superior efficiency in virtually all points, however one

Toyota retired the Camry TRD in 2024, and regardless of the model just lately displaying the motorsport-inspired Camry GT-S that one nonetheless has the mannequin’s range-topping, 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain with 232 horsepower. Toyota Camry appears to, as soon as once more, cater solely to the typical commuter, leaving fans searching for a dependable sporty sedan some place else. 

In the meantime, Kia K5 presents two variants of its personal 2.5-liter unit. The normally-aspirated model places out 191 horsepower at 6,100 RPM and 181.5 pound-feet at 4,000 RPM, whereas the turbocharged model within the GT, packs 290 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 311 pound-feet at 1,650-4,000 RPM.

Whereas probably the most succesful model of the 2025 Toyota Camry sprints to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, the turbocharged Kia K5 takes as little as 5.2 seconds. 

The place the Toyota Camry actually steals the present from its Korean rival is within the gasoline financial system division. Whereas probably the most frugal iteration of the Kia K5 will get 30 mpg mixed in accordance with the EPA cycle, the hybrid-only Toyota Camry can obtain as much as 51 mpg mixed.

Higher transmission choices

For my part, the transmission choices on the Kia K5 are superior to what you get within the Camry, at the least by way of the texture. Whether or not you go for the 225 or 232-horsepower variant of the Japanese mannequin, you all the time get the model’s steady variable transmission (CVT). Granted, it’s the most refined CVT, at present made, however I by no means appreciated  the texture of any of them. In contrast to another Toyota fashions, the transmission within the Camry doesn’t supply a handbook mannequin.

In the meantime, the Kia K5 offers  you choices, and I feel they’re much higher. The normally-aspirated engine is paired with a conventional, eight-speed computerized whereas the turbocharged Kia K5 GT comes with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). You might be additionally given the choice to shift the gears manually (both with the paddles or from the shifter).

Dimitar Angelov‘s automotive pursuits made him an skilled in all kinds of automobiles. Japanese manufacturers like Toyota and Nissan are closest to his coronary heart, though efficiency automobiles on the whole are his favourite phase, which is why he’s always looking out for the very best offers in the marketplace. Dimitar Angelov’s automotive ardour and knack for the written phrase led him to finish a Grasp of Arts in Media and Communications, and traditional automotive restoration. Dim is completely happy to get behind the wheel of any automotive and share his impressions. You possibly can comply with Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Fb.

Picture supply: 2025 Kia K5, 2025 Toyota Camry