Compare the2025 Kia K5VS 2025 Toyota Camry

Both the K5 and Camry have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 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 Camry’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.

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. Rear Cross-Traffic Braking costs extra on the Camry XLE/XSE, and isn't offered on other Camry models.

Both the K5 and the Camry have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors 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 Camry:

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 Camry:

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

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 Camry’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 Camry. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Camry ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th.

The K5 GT’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 58 more horsepower (290 vs. 232) than the Camry’s optional 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the K5 GT 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Toyota Camry (232 HP engine):

The K5 has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Camry (15.8 vs. 13 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The K5 GT’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Camry doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The K5 stops shorter than the Camry:

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

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the K5 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Camry.

The K5 GT handles at .85 G’s, while the Camry XLE AWD 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 Camry XLE AWD (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the K5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Camry’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Kia K5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 200 pounds less than the Toyota Camry.

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

The K5 has 5.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Camry (105.3 vs. 99.9).

The K5 has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 4 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Camry.

The K5 has a larger trunk than the Camry (15.6 vs. 15.1 cubic feet).

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 Camry doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The K5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Camry uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

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 Camry doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The K5’s standard Smart Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Push Button Start standard on the Camry only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the car.

Both the Kia K5 and Toyota Camry offer exterior mirrors that can be folded to provide convenience. The K5 offers available power folding mirrors, which allow for easy, one-touch folding or unfolding at the driver’s discretion. This provides added convenience when maneuvering or parking, as well as when walking past the parked vehicle. In comparison, the Camry’s foldable mirrors are manual, requiring the driver to get out and physically fold them once parked and unfold them before getting in.

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 Camry isn’t in the top three.