By Muhammed Hashim 
Although the BMW is almost twice as expensive, the Kia is a better performer
September 12, 2024 at 17:49
- The BMW sports a 255 hp 2.0-liter engine, while the Kia’s 2.5-liter delivers 290 hp.
- Independent tests clocked the K5 GT at 5.4 sec to 60 mph, with the 530i at 5.5 sec.
- In handling tests, the slightly lighter Korean sedan outperformed the larger BMW.
Are there many people out there who will be cross-shopping between a 2025 Kia K5 GT and a 2024 BMW 530i? Let’s be real—the logical answer is no. After all, the K5 starts at $33,090, while the 530i starts at $57,900, meaning the German proposal is almost twice as expensive.
If you’re scratching your head wondering why Kia chose to compare the K5 to the larger, heavier, and significantly more expensive BMW 5-Series, you’re not alone. Realistically, the K5 aligns more closely with BMW’s 330i sedan—a comparison Kia actually pursued in 2021 with the pre-facelift version through a promotional campaign.
Nevertheless, Kia has set out to prove the K5 GT has a performance advantage over the 530i. Eager to showcase its new sedan’s capabilities, Kia enlisted the independent automotive testing firm AMCI to pit the two cars against each other in acceleration and cornering tests.
Read: 2025 Kia K5 Gets A Price Hike To Accompany Its Fresh Looks
Before we get into the results, it’s worth looking at the specifications of the two sedans. Driving the 530i is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. It tips the scales at 4,041 lbs (1,833 kg).
By comparison, the K5 GT has a larger 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 290 hp and 311 lb-ft (421 Nm). While it has front-wheel drive, it also has an eight-speed dual-clutch, which could help it shift quicker. Additionally, it weighs less, at 3,596 lbs (1,631 kg).
While sprinting from 0-60 mph (96 km/h), the K5 GT has an immediate advantage over the BMW and pulls out a small lead, hitting the mark in 5.4 seconds compared to 5.5 seconds for the 530i. It was then time to see which of the two sedans could pull the highest Gs while cornering.
The K5 GT took victory in this test, too. It pulled an impressive 0.93g compared to the 0.90g of the 530i. Obviously, the handling balance between the two is very different, given that one is a standard mid-size sedan (comparable in dimensions to a luxury compact like the 3-Series) with front-wheel drive, while the other is a luxury-mid size model with rear-wheel drive. Still, it does go to show that Kia has cooked up something rather spicy with the new K5 GT.
