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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2025 Kia K5 is associated with 49 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Tires, accounting for 12 reports (24% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 4 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2.5l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 27 to 30 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 49 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Tires (12 / 24%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 4 crash / 0 fire / 4 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 27–30 MPG across 4 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2025 Kia K5?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
K5 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 26 MPG 37 MPG 30 MPG — $2,050 / yr
K5 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 25 MPG 36 MPG 29 MPG — $2,100 / yr
K5 AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 24 MPG 33 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
K5 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AM-S8) 23 MPG 33 MPG 27 MPG — $2,300 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2025 Kia K5?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 10.7%
4 DR AWD 10.7%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2025 Kia K5 models.
View complete 2025 Kia K5 crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2025 Kia K5?

Summary of 49 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
49
Crash Reports
4
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
4
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Tires 12 complaints
Powertrain 5 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 complaints
Structure & Body 2 complaints (1 crash)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2025 Kia K5 problems & component breakdown (25 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2025 Kia K5?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #25V493000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 K5 vehicles. The left and right rear window trim pieces may loosen and detach.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the C-pillar trim assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC346.
NHTSA Campaign #25V351000 Active Recall
Affected Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Defect Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 K5 vehicles. A software error in the Power-net Domain Controller (PDC) may cause the parking lights to flicker. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: The PDC software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 24, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC341.
View all 2025 Kia K5 recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2025 Kia K5

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2025 Kia K5

How many safety recalls does the 2025 Kia K5 have?

The 2025 Kia K5 is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2025 Kia K5?

NHTSA records list 49 consumer defect complaints for the 2025 Kia K5. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Tires, appearing in 12 filings (24% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2025 Kia K5 defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2025 Kia K5?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2025 Kia K5 earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2025 Kia K5 get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2025 Kia K5 range from 27 to 30 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.