Along with ample space, familiarity is one of the Kia EV5's biggest strengths, especially for more-conservative buyers.

You’ll find a conventional dashboard layout, an excellent driving position with easy access to physical buttons and intuitive controls, simple instrumentation, ample storage, great vision and comfy seating for five people. There’s even a pair of paddle shifters to provide varying degrees of off-throttle one-pedal braking. Easy stuff.

The three-quarter-metre long rectangular display screen is jam-packed with electronic tech and also has a logic to it, too, aided by actual switches underneath it to minimise distraction and confusion.

Similarly, the roomy rear seat area provides most expected family-SUV amenities like USB ports, air vents, ample lighting, overhead grab handles and an armrest with cupholders. Up-spec models also boast an airliner-style seat-back tray and even a heated/chilled drawer. The rear seatbacks recline too.

The Kia EV5 is a medium-sized SUV offering five seats.

The front seats are quite comfortable, though they could use some extra bolstering. The base Air has cloth facings, whilst the Earth and GT-Line gain artificial leather. In all models the driver’s seat offers electric adjustment and a massaging function, as well as heating. You’ll need to go to the GT-Line for heating and ventilation for both front seats, while the driver exclusively enjoys an extendable leg rest.

Moving to the back seat, the backrest is split into two (60:40) and both portions recline manually. They too are fine for most people, aided by plenty of space. Up-spec versions have heating elements in the outboard positions as well. All have a centre armrest with cupholders.

The Kia EV5 Air Standard Range 2WD can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in 8.5 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 185km/h.

With its larger and heavier battery, the Kia EV5 Air Long Range 2WD can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in 8.9 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 185km/h.

The more-up-spec Kia EV5 Long Range AWD (with two motors) can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (0-100km/h) in 6.1 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 185km/h.

All base Kia EV5 includes LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, cloth seats, a powered driver’s seat with massage, reclining second row, adaptive cruise control, a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, rear-view camera, electronic instruments, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, alloy wheels, roof racks and a long list of advanced driver-assist safety gear.

More expensive versions also bring artificial leather trim, powered, heated, ventilated and massaging front seats, a heated steering wheel, a powered tailgate,

These come on top of the expected LED headlights, climate control with rear-seat air vents, big central touchscreen, Bluetooth telephony, multi-view camera, ambient lighting, with heated/cooled storage, augmented-reality head-up display and remote-controlled parking.

The Kia EV5 2WD models have a single electric motor under the bonnet, producing 160kW of power and 310Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission.

The Kia EV5 AWD models have two electric motors – the main one under the bonnet, producing 160kW of power and 310Nm of torque, and a second one by the rear axle, adding an additional 70kW and 170kW, for a combined 230kW and 480Nm.

The Kia EV5 Air 2WD Standard Range uses a 64.2kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery pack, offering a WLTP range of 400km. Its combined average energy consumption figure is 18.2kWh/100km.

The rest of the EV5 range uses an 88.1kWh LFP battery, resulting in the Air 2WD Long Range returning 555km of range for a combined average energy consumption figure of 18.0kWh/100km, the Earth AWD Long Range with 19-inch alloy wheels 500km and 20.1kWh/100km, and the GT-Line AWD Long Range with 20-inch alloy wheels 470km and 21.0kWh/100km.