Compare the2024 Kia K5VS 2022 Toyota Avalon

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the K5 and Avalon have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 EX/GT offers optional 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 Avalon’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.

The K5 1.6T offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Avalon doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the K5 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Parking Support Brake costs extra on the Avalon Limited/Touring, and isn't offered on other Avalon models.

The K5’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Avalon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Kia K5 is safer than the Toyota Avalon:

	K5	Avalon
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	21%	35%
Neck Stress	180 lbs.	220 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	444/276 lbs.	499/567 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.8 inches
Neck Stress	147 lbs.	180 lbs.
Neck Compression	58 lbs.	64 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	20/31 lbs.	447/453 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Kia K5 is safer than the Toyota Avalon:

	K5	Avalon
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	110	163
Hip Force	264 lbs.	318 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	202	266
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	589 lbs.	719 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the K5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 129 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Avalon is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Warranty

The K5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Avalon’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the K5 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Avalon. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Avalon ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the K5 has a standard 760-amp battery. The Avalon’s 582-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked fifth.

Engine

The K5 GT 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 267) than the Avalon’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the K5 GT 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Avalon:

	K5	Avalon
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	6.1 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	12 sec	15.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.5 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.7 sec	14.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	106 MPH	98 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the K5 gets better mileage than the Avalon:

			MPG
K5
	FWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
Avalon
	FWD	XLE 3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/32 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	22 city/31 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the K5 LX’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The Avalon doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The K5 has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Avalon XLE’s standard fuel tank (15.8 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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 Avalon doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the K5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Avalon:

	K5	K5 GT	Avalon
Front Rotors	12 inches	13.6 inches	11.7 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	12.8 inches	11 inches

The K5 stops shorter than the Avalon:

	K5	Avalon
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the K5 GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Avalon (245/40R19 vs. 235/45R18).

Suspension and Handling

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

The K5 GT-Line AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Avalon Touring pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The K5 GT executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Avalon Touring (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 26.8 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the K5’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Avalon XLE’s (36 feet vs. 37.7 feet). The K5’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Avalon Limited/Touring’s (36 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

The Kia K5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 400 pounds less than the Toyota Avalon.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the K5 a Large car, while the Avalon is rated a Mid-size.

The K5 has 2.8 inches more front headroom, 4 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1.8 inches more rear hip room than the Avalon.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the K5’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Avalon doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The K5 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Avalon doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The K5’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Avalon’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Kia K5 and the Toyota Avalon, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the K5 first among midsize cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Avalon isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Kia K5 outsold the Toyota Avalon by over five to one during 2022.

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