'Auto Motor und Sport' comparison test

EV5 leads in body, safety, convenience and driving performance

The Kia EV5. [Provided by Kia]
The Kia EV5. [Provided by Kia]

Kia announced Tuesday that its EV5 took first place overall in a comparative electric SUV evaluation recently conducted by Auto Motor und Sport, a leading German automotive publication. The result puts the EV5 ahead of Tesla's best-selling Model Y, as well as the Xpeng G6 and MG S6 EV from Chinese brands.

Auto Motor und Sport is a highly trusted automotive publication among European consumers, and its evaluation results serve as an important reference for vehicle purchase decisions in the region.

Kia said the timing of the comparison test carries particular significance, as it was conducted just as the Model Y — having launched a new entry-level trim — was seeking to reassert its market dominance in Germany. The key question was whether the Model Y, armed with a lower starting price, could hold its own against rival electric SUVs from South Korea and China.

Auto Motor und Sport evaluated four models — the EV5, Model Y, Xpeng G6 and MG S6 EV — across seven categories: body, safety, convenience, powertrain, driving performance, eco-friendliness and economy.

In the evaluation, the EV5 scored 404 points in the combined characteristics assessment — covering vehicle performance areas such as body and safety — outpacing the Model Y's 337 points by 67 points. In the final overall score, which includes eco-friendliness and economy, the EV5 earned 588 points to the Model Y's 557, claiming first place by 31 points.

The EV5 posted large scoring margins over the Model Y in four of the seven categories — body, safety, convenience and driving performance — demonstrating well-rounded product quality.

In the body category, the EV5 scored 100 points against the Model Y's 76, a gap of 24 points. Auto Motor und Sport said the EV5 "delivers the bold, open feel characteristic of an SUV thanks to its high seating position and long hood, and is equipped with wide, comfortable seats and generous rear-seat and cargo space."

The safety category saw the largest point gap between the two models. The EV5 scored 89 points to the Model Y's 60, a difference of 29 points. The EV5 achieved the shortest braking distance in the entire test — stopping from 100 kilometers per hour in the mid-35-meter range under both cold and warm conditions — while the Model Y recorded the longest stopping distances at 39.3 meters and 38.2 meters, costing it points in the safety category.

In convenience, the EV5 (66 points) edged out the Model Y (55 points) by 11 points. The publication said the EV5 "offers the best ease of operation, as regenerative braking intensity and one-pedal driving can be adjusted directly via the steering wheel paddles."

In driving performance, the EV5 scored 69 points against the Model Y's 60, a margin of 9 points, with the publication noting that "the EV5 controlled road surface irregularities most stably and demonstrated a highly refined driving feel." The Model Y held a slight edge in the powertrain, eco-friendliness and economy categories.

Meanwhile, the Xpeng G6 and MG S6 EV finished third and fourth with total scores of 541 and 528 points, respectively.

"It is particularly meaningful that we received high marks in areas that drivers actually feel every day, such as braking performance and ease of operation," a Kia official said. "We will continue to do our best to build customer trust by putting real-world usability and safety first."


eyre@heraldcorp.com