Compare the2022 Kia K5VS 2021 Genesis G70

Both the K5 and G70 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The G70’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the K5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The G70 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has standard Parking Collision Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The G70 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the K5 and the G70 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

There are over 2 times as many Kia dealers as there are Genesis dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the K5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Genesis vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Genesis is ranked fifth.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Genesis vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Genesis is ranked 8th.

As tested in Consumer Reports the K5 1.6T 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the G70 2.0T 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the K5 gets better fuel mileage than the G70:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia K5 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The G70 requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia K5 higher (5 out of 10) than the Genesis G70 (3). This means the K5 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the G70 every 15,000 miles.

The K5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The G70 doesn’t offer an SMG.

The K5 stops shorter than the G70:

For better traction, the K5 GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the G70 (245/40R19 vs. 225/40R19).

The K5 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The G70’s suspension doesn’t offer rear gas-charged shocks.

For better maneuverability, the K5’s turning circle is .1 feet tighter than the G70’s (36 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The K5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the G70 AWD’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia K5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 650 pounds less than the Genesis G70.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the K5 a Large car, while the G70 is rated a Compact.

The K5 has 11.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the G70 (105.3 vs. 93.8).

The K5 has .5 inches more front headroom, 3.5 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more rear legroom and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the G70.

The K5 has a much larger trunk than the G70 (16 vs. 10.5 cubic feet).

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Genesis G70 isn't recommended.