As a midsized sedan for people just looking to get around, the 2021 Kia K5 is a vehicle that’s not likely to show up to your local drag strip. TFLnow got ahold of two of them and had a track handy. Naturally, the only thing to do was to line them up for some runs.
The 2021 Kia K5 EX and K5 Sport Line share a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making 180 horsepower (134 kilowatts) and 195 pound-feet (264 newton-meters) of torque. The power routes through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Both of these are front-wheel drive, but the Sport Line and LXS trim get an all-wheel-drive option later in 2020.
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To differentiate the pair, the GT Line has a sportier appearance, including a different front fascia and a tiny trunk lid spoiler. Inside, the EX appears a little more luxurious thanks to its wood trim.
With two mechanically identical vehicles, TFLnow asks the question of whether the GT Line’s sportier appearance makes it the faster choice in a straight line. The first real drag race suggests the answer is no because the EX wins and is even pulling away at the end.
However, then the two drivers switch vehicles. This time the GT Line runs away from the EX.
Just to check these results, there’s one more race with the same drivers remaining in their current machines. It’s an even start, but the GT Line crawls ahead. At the finish line, the EX is just barely behind.
With the driver being the major differentiator in this test, TFLnow shows that with two evenly matched vehicles, the person behind the wheel is really what matters in a drag race.
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