2026 Kia EV5 Revealed for Canada, Not the United States

Kia has announced the brand’s compact EV5 all-electric SUV is coming is coming to North America, but there’s a catch. It is only coming to Canada. It’s not every day a manufacturer imports a vehicle to just Canada and not the United States, but that will be the case with the EV5, at least for now.

Already sold in several markets around the world, this will be one of the first left-hand drive iterations of the small EV as most current regions use right-hand-drive configurations. For Canada, Kia is positioning the EV5 as an affordable EV SUV option. It might sound a bit strange on the surface since the brand already has the Kia Niro EV, but more on that later.

The Kia EV5 uses the manufacturer’s ‘Opposites United’ design language that includes the EV ‘tiger face’ grille and 3-dimensional star map lighting. The brand uses a bunch of big words, similes, and non-car related inspirations to describe how the vehicle’s styling came to be, but to us, it’s basically a scaled down version of the three-row EV9.

Upon lunch in Canada, the EV5 will be available with wheels ranging in size from 18- to 20-inches in diameter. It can be ordered in one of eight available colors, including two that are new to Kia, Magma Red and Frost Blue.

Kia Canada has confirmed the EV5 will be available with a choice of battery sizes. The standard pack is a 60.3 kWh unit, while a larger 81.4 kWh pack is available. The small SUV will be available with front- or all-wheel drive, which helps differentiate it from its siblings a bit, as the Niro EV is only front-wheel drive while the more wagon-like EV6 is rear- or all-wheel drive.

Aside from confirmation the EV5 will be equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, no other details are offered at this time. But through the power of the internet, we can get a feeling on some more aspects of the EV5 as it is already sold in several countries including Australia.

Inside, the EV5 has strong family resemblance to its all-electric siblings. Kia states the interior features soft-touch surfaces with a minimalist aesthetic. There’s a nearly 30-inch panoramic screen in front of the driver, housing the driver information center and infotainment system. An available mood lamp will be offered, which can be adjusted at leisure with to match a passenger’s style.

The back seat does include three seatbelts, making the EV5 a five-seater. Besides the rear cargo area, there’s additional storage space in the front trunk, which has a cargo capacity of 67L (2.4 cu ft) in Australia.

The EV5 will make its North American debut at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto. Expect to see the small EV rolling into Kia showrooms sometime in 2026. Although pricing will be announced at a later date, in both Australia and New Zealand the entry level EV5 actually starts at a price lower than the Niro EV. I doubt that will be the case in Canada, but here is hoping.  

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter  here.