- Kia reveals special ‘Storm’ variants of EV5 and Sportage
- ‘Storm’ sits between ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’
- EV5 to also receive all-wheel drive variants of ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’
- EV5 ‘Storm’ from £43,145 on-the-road
- Sportage ICE ‘Storm’ from £34,395 on-the-road
- Sportage HEV ‘Storm’ from £37,895 on-the-road
- Order books open 1 July 2026, with customer deliveries later this year
Kia has announced a new special-edition trim level being offered on its popular C-SUV models, the EV5 and Sportage. Named ‘Storm’, the new trim levels sit between the ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ variants of both EV5 and Sportage, offering a premium specification with ‘Air’-inspired design cues, enabling more bang for buck.
Additionally, Kia has broadened its popular EV5 line-up with the addition of all-wheel drive (AWD) power on ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ only.
The Kia EV5 ‘Storm’
Expanding Kia’s EV5 line-up to four different trim levels, the EV5 ‘Storm’ will be available with the same 81.4kWh battery pack and front-wheel drive powertrain as the other variants already available, ensuring a smooth and familiar driving experience.
The Kia EV5 ‘Storm’ merges many exterior design elements of the ‘Air’ and ‘GT-Line’ variants, including body-coloured door mirrors from the ‘Air’, and gloss black detailing (such as wheel arches) from the ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’.
Specification highlights
Exterior design: New 19-inch alloy wheels; privacy glass on rear windows and tailgate; electric auto-dipping, folding and heated door mirrors with LED indicators; automatic flush door handles; LED DRLs, headlights (with adaptive driving beam), rear lights, rear fog lights; satin chrome belt and waistline; premium paint as standard.
Interior design and comfort: Black artificial leather upholstery (unique to ‘Storm’); heated and ventilated front seats; heated outer rear seats; electric driver’s seat with lumbar support and memory function; four-spoke, heated, artificial leather steering wheel; electric one-touch front and rear windows; automatic air conditioning and defog system; smart power tailgate.
Storage, versatility and interior lighting: Frunk; 60:40 split folding rear seats with ski hatch; front and rear storage; LED interior lighting and customisable ambient lighting; luggage board, compartment load cover and under-floor storage; 12V front power socket.
Audio, communication and information: 3-screen layout: 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation, 5.3-inch climate control screen (with physical controls) and 12.3-inch driver display screen; Wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™; Bluetooth®; 4x USB-C charging ports (2x front, 2x rear); 8-speaker Harman Kardon® premium sound system; wireless mobile phone charger; eCall system.
Digital features and connectivity*: Pet mode; Over-The-Air updates; free seven-year Kia Connect services; Music streaming; entertainment packages; Wi-Fi hotspot; Kia CarPay; Plug&Charge; AI Assistant.
Active safety systems: Front and rear parking sensors with reversing camera system and safe exit warning; Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 2.0; Hill-Start Assist Control and Downhill Brake Control; Highway Driving Assist 2.0 with Hands-On Detection; Lane Keep Assist and Lane Follow Assist 2.0 with Hands-On Detection; Vehicle Stability Management; Smart Cruise Control 2.0 with stop/go functionality; regenerative braking paddle shifters with iPedal; Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist; Drive Mode Select; Multi-Collision Braking System; Electronic Stability Control; Driver Attention Warning.
Passive safety systems and security: All-round three-point seatbelts with reminder warning and height adjustable headrests; height adjustable front seatbelts; front, rear, side and curtain airbags; customisable door locking; ISOFIX child seat top tethers and anchor fixings (outer rear); locking wheel nuts; visible VIN; Thatcham category 2 security alarm and immobiliser; smart key with motion sensor.
The variant will also be offered in three exterior paint choices, all for no additional cost. These include Gravity Grey, Fusion Black, and Dark Ocean Blue, a striking and all-new colour exclusively offered on EV5 ‘Storm’. This keeps the buying and browsing process as simple as possible, with zero optional extras.
Sitting atop Kia’s volume-focused EV line-up, above EV2, EV3 and EV4, the Kia EV5 has been a consistent hit with customers since its launch at the end of 2025, and with more than 4,000 sold so far in 2026, it currently holds the position of one of the brand’s most popular EVs on the UK market, second only to the ever-popular EV3.
The Kia EV5 ‘Storm’ costs £43,145 on-the-road. The full EV5 line-up can be found at the bottom of this release.
The Kia Sportage ‘Storm’
Joining the line-up of Kia’s UK, European and global best-seller, the Sportage ‘Storm’ is available either with a 1.6-litre T-GDi internal combustion engine (ICE), or as a hybrid (HEV), using the same 1.6-litre petrol engine mated with 1.49kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack.
This means the Sportage ICE ‘Storm’ offers a power output of 147bhp and 250Nm torque, whilst the HEV offers 235bhp and 380Nm torque. The Sportage ICE is available with the choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch transmissions, whilst the HEV has a six-speed automatic transmission.
Specification highlights
Exterior design: 18-inch alloy wheels; LED headlights, daytime running lights, rear lights and high-mounted brake light; rear fog lights; automatic headlight control; rain-sensing front wipers; privacy glass on rear windows and tailgate; electrically adjustable, folding and heated door mirrors with LED indicators; gloss black radiator grille, wheel arches and window surround; black bumpers with silver accents; front and rear silver skid plates; silver roof rails; rear spoiler; heated rear window; premium paint as standard.
Interior design and comfort: Black leather and suede upholstery (unique to ‘Storm’); heated and ventilated front seats; heated outer rear seats; electrically adjustable driver and front passenger seats with driver’s lumbar support; leather, heated steering wheel with manual adjustment; electric front and rear windows with one-touch front operation; automatic air conditioning with rear ventilation and automatic defog system; smart key with start/stop button; auto-dimming rear-view mirror; illuminated vanity mirrors.
Storage, versatility and interior lighting: 40:20:40 split folding rear seats; centre console with storage box; rear centre armrest with cupholders; front cabin, rear and luggage compartment lighting; customisable ambient lighting (automatic transmission only); front and rear door storage; glovebox; luggage compartment parcel shelf, under-floor storage and luggage board; luggage net hooks; 12V power sockets (front and luggage compartment); tyre mobility kit.
Audio, communication and information: 12.3-inch touchscreen navigation and 12.3-inch driver display; wireless Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™; Bluetooth® connectivity; USB-C media connection plus three USB-C charging ports; 8-speaker Harman Kardon® premium sound system; wireless mobile phone charger; eCall system.
Digital features and connectivity*: Over-The-Air updates; free seven-year Kia Connect services; Music streaming; entertainment packages; Wi-Fi hotspot; Kia CarPay; AI Assistant.
Active safety systems: Front and rear parking sensors with reversing camera system; Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist 1.5 (including pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning detection); Highway Driving Assist 1.0 (automatic transmission only); Lane Keep Assist and Lane Follow Assist 2.0; Smart Cruise Control 2.0 with stop/go functionality (automatic transmission only) or cruise control (manual); Intelligent Speed Limit Assist and speed limiter; rear occupant alert; electronic parking brake with auto hold; Drive Mode Select; paddle shifters (automatic transmission only); Anti-Lock Braking System with emergency stop signalling; Electronic Stability Control; Dynamic Brake Control; Hill-Start Assist Control and Downhill Brake Control; Trailer Stability Assist; Multi-Collision Braking System; Vehicle Stability Management; Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.
Passive safety systems and security: All-round three-point seatbelts with reminder warning and height-adjustable headrests; height-adjustable front seatbelts; front passenger airbag cut-off switch; front, rear, side and curtain airbags; ISOFIX child seat top tethers and anchor fixings (outer rear seats); manual child lock; customisable automatic door locking and unlocking; locking wheel nuts; visible VIN; Thatcham category 2 security alarm and immobiliser; smart key with motion sensor.
The Kia Sportage continues to cement itself as one of the brand’s most popular models, and in June 2026 it surpassed the landmark figure of half a million sales in the UK, in its 33-year history in the country.
Like the EV5, the Sportage ‘Storm’ is offered with premium paint options as standard, meaning no additional cost. These include Wolf Grey, Phantom Black and Dark Penta Metal.
The Kia Sportage ICE ‘Storm’ costs £34,395 on-the-road with the six-speed manual transmission, and £36,095 with the seven-speed dual clutch transmission. The HEV variant costs £37,895 on-the-road. The full Sportage line-up can be found at the bottom of this release.
All-wheel drive introduced on EV5 line-up
As well as introducing an all-new ‘Storm’ special edition variant, Kia has further diversified its EV5 line-up with the introduction of all-wheel drive (AWD) variants – meaning Kia now offers the EV5, EV6 and EV9 in AWD as well as front- or rear-wheel drive.
The new AWD drivetrain is introduced as an option on ‘GT-Line’ and ‘GT-Line S’ grades, bringing the total EV5 line-up to six different variants. Although complete technical data will be confirmed in due course, the AWD drivetrain adds an induction motor powering the rear axle, although the car remains predominantly front-biased. This drops the 0-to-62mph sprint time from 8.4 seconds to 7.4 seconds, and boosts the maximum braked trailer weight up to 1,800kg, making the EV5 now a real option for towing larger trailers and even caravans.
AWD variants of EV5 feature the same 81.4kWh battery pack as all other EV5s, meaning charging times remain the same, so the EV5 can achieve a 10-to-80% charge in 30 minutes when connected to a suitable charger**. Information including EV range and efficiency will be revealed in due course.
Both the new variants carry over the same specifications as their front-wheel drive counterparts, all of which can be found in the Kia EV5 press pack. Additionally, they benefit from the same five-star Euro NCAP rating as all other EV5s in the UK, thanks to robust E-GMP platform and intelligent safety systems.
The Kia EV5 ‘GT-Line’ AWD costs £45,645 on-the-road, whilst the ‘GT-Line S’ costs £50,145.
Kia EV5 | |
Variant | Price |
EV5 ‘Air’ FWD | £39,345 |
EV5 ‘GT-Line’ FWD | £42,645 |
EV5 ‘GT-Line’ AWD | £45,646 |
EV5 ‘Storm’ FWD | £43,145 |
EV5 ‘GT-Line S’ FWD | £47,145 |
EV5 ‘GT-Line S’ AWD | £50,145 |
Kia Sportage ICE | |
Variant | Price |
Sportage ‘Pure’ 6MT FWD | £31,395 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line’ 6MT FWD | £33,895 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line’ 7DCT FWD | £35,595 |
Sportage ‘Storm’ 6MT FWD | £34,395 |
Sportage ‘Storm’ 7DCT FWD | £36,095 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line S’ 7DCT FWD | £40,785 |
Kia Sportage HEV | |
Variant | Price |
Sportage ‘Pure’ 6AT FWD | £34,895 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line’ 6AT FWD | £37,395 |
Sportage ‘Storm’ 6AT FWD | £37,895 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line S’ 6AT FWD | £42,595 |
Sportage ‘GT-Line S’ 6AT AWD | £44,195 |
