2021 Kia K5 pricing: Kia’s Optima replacement starts at $24,455

Following the 2021 Kia K5’s debut last week, the South Korean automaker has finally unveiled base prices for its newest midsize sedan. According to Kia, the new K5 starts at $24,455 for the base LX with front-wheel drive. True to form, the base K5 is $300 more than the outgoing Optima, but you do get a lot of car in return.

Next up the trim ladder is the K5 LXS with base prices starting at $25,455. The K5 GT-Line starts at $26,355 while the EX is at $28,995. Kia is offering a premium package for the EX GT-Line and EX starting at an additional $1,600 and $3,400, respectively. The premium package includes sportier exterior accoutrements along with a bevy of advanced driver-assist systems.

All the aforementioned K5 trim models are powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. The 2021 Kia K5 achieves an estimated EPA rating of 29/38/32 mpg.

Kia’s newest K5 sedan is also available with an all-wheel drivetrain. However, AWD is only offered on the LXS and GT-Line trim. The K5 LXS AWD starts at $27,555 while the GT-Line AWD is at $30,055. The GT-Line is available with a special edition package that adds gloss-black trim, a panoramic sunroof, and gray exterior paint for an additional $800.

The crème of the crop is the K5 GT arriving this fall. It has a more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder motor pumping out 290 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque.

With this much power, the K5 GT is fast enough to breach zero to 60 mph in 5.8-seconds. Base prices for the 2021 Kia K5 GT start at $31,455. The K5 GT is available with a GT1 package which includes LED headlights, a heated steering wheel, a Bose premium audio system, and a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to name a few.

The 2021 Kia K5 is slated to arrive later in the summer. It may have a higher base price than an equivalent Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Hyundai Sonata, but the top-of-the-line K5 GT is competitive enough despite having less power than a V6-powered Camry.