Kia K5 Hybrid 500h

The Kia K5 Hybrid (known globally as the Optima Hybrid) gets the facelift it deserve and not only the minor change occurred for Kia's answer to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord Hybrid but also it gets a whole new name under the banner of K5 Hybrid 500h.

Kia K5 Hybrid 500h

Again, Kia adopted a new naming for their new "ECO hybrid" lineup that goes (number goes here)-0-0-h. For the hybrid version of the K5, it's going to bear the 500h subname, same thing for the K7 Hybrid 700h I've tackled earlier.

For the newest version of the K5 Hybrid, you can see that it inherits the same minor change as its petrol equivalent that was launched earlier this year but it incorporates some signature looks for the hybrid model such as HID headlamps, LED foglamps, a choice of 16 or 17-inch alloys, revised rear lamps, and of course being a hybrid, it bears the "ECO hybrid" badge.

Kia K5 Hybrid 500h interior

Kia K5 Hybrid 500h interior

The same case of inheritance goes for the interior because not only it came from its normal petrol equivalent but it even comes with an updated software in the form of UVO 2.0. In case you're asking, UVO 2.0 is the second-generation of Kia's infotainment system which smartphone app provides a completely new level of car telematics, parked vehicle locator, and advanced vehicle relationship management free of charge. Who needs car keys when you can have a smartphone integrated to this car? A bit clever but a bit serious.

Kia K5 Hybrid 500h

You still have the same Nu 2.0 MPi engine which produces 150PS of power and 18.3kg-m of torque but the electric motor that connects it is now enhanced from the former's 30kW to the latter's 35kW. The engine connected to the electric motor and the Li-ion battery, it's up to the driver to choose whichever driving modes to see fit, whether if its running on EV only, running on normal petrol engine, or running on both. It's like having two hearts except this isn't wibbly wobbly timey wimey. This is automotive science.

And having learned their lesson from the whole Hyundai-Kia fuel economy fiasco regarding that their fuel economy figures are overstated and caused them lawsuits, the K5 Hybrid 500h has a fuel economy of 16.8km/L combined. It maybe just a major drop from its former glory but hey, sacrifices have to be made for the greater good, right? But still, it's not as fuel efficient as the Toyota Camry or the Honda Accord Hybrid.

As for the weight, the K5 Hybrid 500h weighs at around 1570kg, meaning that's just a few kilos heavier than the Toyota Camry but about a hundred less than the Honda Accord Hybrid, theoretically.

Because the suspension has some McPherson struts in the front and multilink at the back, the K5 Hybrid 500h feels more clever and serious as any other cars using this kind of suspension setup. Yes, there are some multilink cleverness going on around here making it a good effort all round, well that's a theory.

The K5 Hybrid 500h starts at 30,360,000 Korean Won for the base Luxury model up to 33,530,000 Korean Won for the top-of-the-line Noblesse model. Available colors are Snow White Pearl, Bright Silver, Aluminum Silver, and Aurora Black Pearl.

Photo: Kia Motors