Automotive engineers comment on the design details of Kia EV5: A clear stream in
In the highly competitive domestic new energy vehicle market in China, it has been a while since we've heard from Korean brands. Last year, Kia's COO made several controversial statements online, essentially implying:
Let your domestic brands compete first; as an international brand, I, Kia, am above such petty rivalry.
Less than half a year after these remarks, it came as a surprise when Kia launched the Kia EV5, a globally produced model manufactured locally in China, seemingly succumbing to the temptation to test the waters.
Let's examine whether the Chinese market will teach Korean new energy vehicles a lesson through this model.
The steering wheel features a four-spoke structural design, a trend that Korean cars currently favor. The multi-function adjustment area has an abundance of buttons, which may seem a bit complex. The activation of the driving mode is placed under the horn in the center of the steering wheel, and the small size of the button raises doubts about whether it can be quickly and accurately pressed while driving without holding the wheel. It might have been better to follow the example of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N, which has a large round button in the lower right corner. Although the steering wheel is made using the simplest plastic foaming process, the soft and comfortable feel is commendable.Due to the console area being disconnected from the dashboard, there is no space to arrange the gear shift mechanism on the console. Therefore, following the majority of electric vehicles, a column shifter is used, and to avoid the wiper switch, it is positioned relatively lower.
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This vehicle only has wireless phone charging functionality in the highest trim level, and even then, there is only a single phone storage area. So, when there is a need for more phone storage, one can press this button on the cup holder to expand it into a storage space.
In the front row, there are two Type C ports, one of which supports data transfer. If wired charging is used and a cup is placed, the cable will pass through the cup-holding area, which can appear slightly messy.
The 12V power outlet on the far right has a push-to-release cover, which is very convenient to use and also makes this set of ports look more organized, deserving praise. Some vehicles in China either place this outlet in a more hidden location, making it inconvenient to use, or lack a hidden cover, or the cover requires manual prying.
There is also a hidden structure hook in the front row. Unlike some hooks in China that automatically stay open after being activated, this one requires constant manual holding. Therefore, when using this hook to carry heavy items, one needs to operate with both hands, one hand holding the hook, and the other hand lifting and hanging the item, which is slightly inconvenient.Certainly, the advantage is that it will automatically spring back after removing the item, eliminating the need for a closing action.
Never worry about the design of Korean cars being too ordinary; the Kia EV5 continues this style with sharp lines on the door panels, well-proportioned contours, a plump shape, and lines and textures on the dashboard that match very reasonably.
The air vents on the left and right sides of the dashboard feature a complex structure, each independently located on the upper and lower sides of the dashboard's waistline in a cross shape. The upper side has vertical blades with physical buttons to adjust the airflow direction; the lower side has non-adjustable horizontal blades. The arrangement of two air vents in different directions is more conducive to ensuring comfort below the legs.
The armrest on the door panel does not use an integrated wrap but has a clear boundary with the plastic skeleton below, creating a distinct sense of hierarchy and a thick appearance, with a soft and comfortable feel that is highly praised.
The Kia EV5's design has two major features this time, one of which is quite controversial, and the other is highly praised.The point of contention lies in the front console area, which features a soft-wrapped section connecting the driver's seat with the passenger's seat. However, this section is not meant for sitting; it is purely an aesthetic connection. The original design intention was to bring the driver and passenger closer together, creating a sense of homely communication. This is a rare concept in domestic vehicles that emphasize homely concepts, and it's hard to determine its significance, but it is at least innovative.
It should be noted that although the elbow support can be flipped up to increase the space in this area, it is not suitable for sitting. Firstly, there is no seatbelt to secure the person, and secondly, the structural strength must be considered to determine if it can bear the corresponding weight.
In the central connecting position, there is a hidden storage space. Judging by the structure and size, it seems suitable for storing items like a mobile phone. Domestic car models often design open storage structures for mobile phones to prevent them from being forgotten when exiting the vehicle. However, the Kia EV5 seems to have intended this space to be inconspicuous, which is somewhat puzzling.
Due to this design, the storage space in both the upper and lower layers of the console is much lower than that of conventional models. Especially when retrieving items from the lower layer, one has to bend over quite a bit, but fortunately, the space is quite generous, making it easier to access.
It is precisely because of this design that connects the driver's and passenger's seats that the storage space on the console is not well utilized, resulting in a significant waste. The armrest structure on top cannot be opened to utilize the space inside. There is only a sliding storage space at the lower rear end of the console, and in high-end models, this space is replaced with a refrigerator.Due to the structural design of the console, the rear end of the console is also unable to accommodate an exhaust vent, hence the rear exhaust vents are positioned below the B-pillar.
One of the praiseworthy features of the Kia EV5 is the transformable magic space within the high-spec trunk. The bottom luggage compartment cover is convenient for storage when laid flat, and when pulled out, it becomes a two-tier storage platform, suitable for both bottom storage and placing items during outdoor camping. The two covers are linked by hinges, and there is no risk of interference or loosening and falling off during use, which is very convenient. This is not like some domestic models that require you to dismantle the cover and move it to the upper level by yourself.
In addition to this transformable magic space, the inconspicuous detachable anchor point on the side also has great utility—it can be combined in any way according to the six changeable positions on both sides of the side surround, to place a small table or partition net for storage.
For the low-spec version, the trunk floor becomes two detachable panels, with hidden storage space underneath. However, there is no soft material inside the space to prevent rattling noises, so placing hard objects may cause rattles during driving.
The comfort of the rear seats is slightly lower than that of the front seats, which can be seen from two aspects: First, the armrest position for supporting elbows in the rear is higher than that of conventional models. When you sit in the rear with a normal posture, your arms feel elevated, which is somewhat uncomfortable. It is said that this car is intended for export, considering the body model of Europeans and Americans, so this point also makes sense.Secondly, the side bolsters of the rear seat cushions are too thin. When getting out of the car, if one's buttocks move to this position, it is easy to fully compress the foam, coming into contact with the plastic parts on the underside. At the same time, the foam support steel wires embedded inside are not deeply buried, and one can clearly feel the steel wires pressing against the buttocks.
Of course, it is understandable that the purpose of this design is to ensure that the rear seats, when folded down, maintain an absolutely flat surface with the trunk. Although the rear seats are structurally designed with a linkage between the cushion and the backrest, it is evident that some sacrifices have been made in terms of styling for this functionality.
From this perspective, it can also be seen that the rear seat cushion has been significantly lowered through linkage to ensure the flatness of the backrest when laid down.
The only flaw in the vehicle's CMF (Color, Material, and Finish) is at the back of the front headrests. Initially, from pictures posted online, I noticed a significant grain difference between the two plastic pieces behind the headrests, thinking it was an intentional design choice. Upon closer examination, I realized that the difference in appearance was due to the different materials used for the two structures, resulting in a difference in gloss levels. In reality, the grain patterns are the same.
Considering the strength required for collision protection at the headrest position, the front piece has to bear more functional requirements and thus uses a higher-strength PC/ABS material. The most significant characteristic of this material is that its exterior gloss does not easily diminish. The rear cover, on the other hand, serves more as a decorative element without strength requirements, so a cheaper PP material was used, which has a more matte finish, leading to this visual difference.Of course, many people have also explained that this special structure can be used to hang items for wearable devices, which seems to be a good choice. It should be noted that when getting in the back row, seat belts must be fastened, otherwise, it is easy to hit this hard plastic board.
The shoulder belt guide loop in the second row is a rare open-style, and it is designed to prevent the seat belt from turning outward (usually to prevent it from turning inward). Combined with the plastic piece insert structure on the side body panel, they mainly prevent the seat belt from being squeezed to the side and becoming difficult to pull out when the second row is reclined and then restored. In fact, without this guide loop, it won't cut the neck during normal seating.
The tailgate has an additional hand grip position on top of the electric opening and closing, and this position has a shape-mimicking design based on the shape of the hand, making it more convenient for hand grip and exertion of force. Unlike many domestic models that just leave a hole here in a perfunctory manner.
The charging port has a symbol indicating the opening position and can achieve automatic opening and closing. However, this cover plate is just divided on the wheel eyebrow, leaving quality management difficulties for the body matching. This is very similar to the charging port layout position of Toyota's bZ4x. Why do Japanese and Korean cars like to create difficulties for themselves even when there are no difficulties?
On the outside of the car, another point worth noting is that although this front trunk is not large, it has a protruding seal on the hood, which means that the actual storage space is much more than this storage box. This is rare in domestic models.Kia EV5 features a distinct "star map" headlight and taillight design with a prominent crease, resembling a constellation formed by connected stars. In the domestic market, which is accustomed to halo or continuous lighting, this design offers an alternative personality that significantly enhances the exterior style of the Kia EV5.
Conclusion by Jia Shi:
Overall, the EV5 is quite distinctive with well-executed details. The CMF (Color, Material, and Finish) is well-defined, and the design is on-trend. The interior makes extensive use of eco-friendly materials, aligning with the concept of pure electric energy conservation. Many of its features are thoughtful and worth emulating by domestic automakers.
In the domestic context, which is often characterized by a "color TV, refrigerator, and sofa" greasy environment, the EV5 stands out as a refreshing change.
The Kia EV5 focuses on a "new approach to life"—front-row unobstructed communication concept, and rear-row magic space, which also fits this lifestyle well. It may cater more to the habits of foreigners who are accustomed to enjoying nature, especially in foreign markets.When comparing it within the domestic market, the Kia EV5 faces competition from the BYD Song twins and the Yuan PLUS on one side, and the Shenlan S7 on the other. In terms of range, space, comfort, and stylish design, the EV5 is more or less on par with these rivals.
What is lacking, however, is the richness of the in-car content and the diversity of intelligent driving features, after all, it is 2024...
So, if you are someone who pursues a quality lifestyle but does not have such high demands for intelligence, you can really give the EV5 a try for its unique style.
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