Kia EV5 First Drive: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

"It's very Kia, isn't it?" a motoring writer colleague commented at the recent Irish launch of the Kia EV5, writes Brian Byrne. Of course it is, and being 'very Kia' at the moment is very good for the brand and its customers. Kia's push to provide a full range of electric vehicles has helped the Irish distributor for the first time top 10,000 cars of all powertrains sold in a year. Kia is now ranked fifth overall in Ireland and is the second-biggest EV brand. In 2025, it sold more electric vehicles here than any other powertrain. 

The EV5 has arrived only weeks after the EV4 hatchback-coupe and bookends the year with the EV3 small SUV, launched at the beginning of 2025. The EV3 won the World Car of the Year 2025 accolade and is now Ireland's third-most-popular electric car from a standing start. No wonder Kia Ireland execs were all smiles as they showcased their latest.

The EV5 fills the gap in the C-SUV EV segment and offers an electric option to what has been and remains the brand's best-selling car here, the Sportage. The company emphasises that the new vehicle is not an electric Sportage, but a standalone model—the EV5 is slightly larger across all key dimensions than its combustion-engined sibling.

All Kia models have become much more dramatic in appearance over the last few years, and the EV5 follows that trend while making its own statement. Some muscular sculpting of the bonnet, distinctive front and rear lighting signatures, an integrated spoiler that also houses the hidden rear wiper, and garnishes along the sides and around the wheel arches all combine to convey a sense of strength and purpose.

That's also the feeling from inside, which follows the now-familiar Kia integrated wide display unit housing driving information, climate status and infotainment. Temperature, fan speed, and radio volumes are all manual switches. The lines and shapes across the entire dashboard area are styled in a very modern way, with each detail serving a practical or visual coherence purpose. There's nothing unnecessary in the overall design, including extensive, well-thought-out storage space for front occupants.

The rear passengers have their own centre console with a drawer and climate controls. Seats for all occupants seem as comfortable as they look during the relatively short introductory drive. Heated seats front and rear are standard. A long wheelbase offers generous legroom, while the 566L boot is second only to Skoda's Enyaq in the class. Lowering the back seats provides a two-metre-long, absolutely flat floor. 

A word about connectivity technology: Kia has its own app, which, among other features, enables digital key entry via your smartphone and remote digital key sharing. A fingerprint authentication system helps prevent unauthorised access to the car. An entertainment package is available, including Netflix and YouTube—obviously not for front-seat use while in motion.

There are three grades available, all of which share the same long-range 81.4kWh battery; the most basic model offers a rated range of 530km, while the top GT-line model rates at 505km. The motor delivers up to 215hp and allows the 2-tonne car to reach 100km/h in 8.4 seconds—that's reasonable acceleration rather than the extreme, tyre-wearing figures some makers push. 

It's hard to say much new about the smooth, quiet drive of EVs in this segment, other than that they are as we now expect. Kia has a solid grasp of all of this, and I expect the EV5 will make a significant impact on the brand's overall 2026 performance. Given the pre-launch interest in the car, they are already negotiating additional supply so that, by this time next year, they can be smiling as they are now.

PRICE:  From €47,625-€54,000. WHAT I LIKED: The way Kia is going.

Kia's all-electric EV5 SUV now in dealerships

Kia’s EV5, just launched, is now available to test drive at Kia dealerships nationwide, writes Trish Whelan. 

The EV5 combines SUV styling, real-world practicality and cutting-edge technology. It is the first electric C-SUV offered by the Kia with prices starting at €47,625. The medium SUV category in which it competes is the most popular vehicle segment in Ireland and accounts for 30 per cent of all new car sales. Up to now, Kia’s Sportage has been their only model in this segment. EV5 gives the brand an electric alternative to the Sportage. 

The EV5 is available in three different trim levels of Earth 2, Earth 3 and GT-Line all with the long range 81.4kW long range battery as standard delivering up to 530km range and can be fast charged from 10-80 per cent in 30 minutes. 

The car comes packed with technological features with over the air updates and features on demand. It is equipped with Kia’s latest connected car Navigation Cockpit system including a Panoramic Wide Display combining a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a same size infotainment screen and a 5.3-inch climate control display that features three zones. 

EV5 can charge from 10 per cent -80 per cent in 30 minutes using a 150kW DC fast charger and can tow up to 1,200kg. 

 

BYD Dolphin Surf review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

Chinese automotive company BYD introduced its all-electric Dolphin Surf to the Irish market in September expanding its line-up to six models. 

This 4-door, 4-seater hatchback was designed for motorists looking for an affordable electric car that is attractive looking, practical, climate-friendly, economical to own and to run. The Dolphin Surf fits the bill on all counts. Competitors include the Dacia Spring, Hyundai Inster, and Citroen’s new e-C3. 

I can see the ‘Surf’ appealing to many younger folk as it looks like a cool, fun-loving car with a sharp design, but just not in the black exterior colour of my review car. It looks better in lighter colours that include a bright Lime Green. 

This is the smallest car in the BYD line-up, measuring just 3,990mm long, 1,720mm wide, 1.59mm tall, and with a wheelbase of 2,500mm, which makes it very agile to drive on city streets and to manoeuvre into really tight parking spaces. 

Getting in and out is relatively easy for tall people. Headlights consist of six angled light strips that add to the front’s funky design; daytime-running lights also help create a sharp look. The C-pillar has a dot-matrix design inspired by ice crystals that helps to visually separate the roof, creating a ‘floating’ effect. The integrated roof spoiler adds to the sporty look and helps improve aerodynamic efficiency and range. Full-width LED taillights also feature. My car had the green ‘flash’ registration plates recently introduced for zero-emission vehicles. 

The cabin has plenty of room for four adults. Front sports seats with integrated headrests are both comfy and supportive and have power adjustments. The dash features a 10.1-inch rotatable touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, navigation as standard, and voice control. Saying ‘Hi BYD’ allows you to access many key functions without scrolling through the screen, which is always useful. Below the screen is a tube-like set of controls for the dual zone climate control, air conditioning, and drive modes of Eco, Normal and Sport - but you have to go through the screen for the temperature controls. The actual temperature setting is shown on the bottom of the touchscreen in tiny figures. It wasn’t intuitive, and easier controls would be a big improvement. At the end of the tube is the twisty automatic transmission shifter. The smaller driver’s cluster screen is much more colourful with all the necessary information and graphics. There are two C-type USBs, a big wireless phone charger on the central console, an open storage area located near the floor between the front seats, a decent-sized glovebox and big door bins front and rear. 

Just two seats in the rear. Knee and head room is fine for most adults, and there’s a flat floor. All models have ISOFIX anchor points, front and rear. The boot capacity of 308 litres can extend to 1,037 litres with rear seats folded. The high boot floor allows for easy loading and unloading, and there's a storage area below the floor for charging cables. 

Features included a 360-degree camera system that simultaneously shows a view of both front and rear on the split screen. The model is built on BYD’s e-platform and powered by their cobalt-free lithium-ion battery. Batteries for the three variants are a 30kWh pack (Active) and 43.2kWh (Boost), while the Comfort trim has a 43.2kWh battery and 115hp motor, the latter being my review car. The charging port is to the front of the driver’s door, and you can charge from 10-80 per cent in under 30 minutes at a DC rapid charge station. 

Safety equipment includes six airbags, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) with intelligent cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure assist and intelligent high-beam control. Euro NCAP has awarded the model the maximum five-star safety rating. I had to go through screens to turn off some driver assistance systems. The driver's facial camera on the A-pillar is an intrusive distraction, and I lost count of the number of times I was told to ‘focus on the road’ while doing just that, even when driving slowly in a housing estate, with an accompanying yellow eye glaring at me on the instrument cluster. Placing masking tape over the offending camera allowed me to travel in peace. 

All-around visibility is good. Steering is light but not overly so. Acceleration time from 0-100km/h is 9.1 seconds, and the driving range with the Comfort grade is a WLTP-rated 322 km, which proved accurate during my days with the car. The Dolphin Surf can support an outdoor lifestyle with Vehicle to Load (V2L) technology that turns your car into a power bank to charge your computer, play video games or plug in a coffee machine away from home. 

The model has already gained international recognition, being voted World Urban Car of the Year at this year’s World Car of the Year Awards. Priced from €17,095-€24,113. Annual road tax €120.

 

New MG Motor Ireland dealer in Kildare

MG Motor Ireland has appointed Fitzpatrick’s MG Motor Centre Kildare as the newest members of its growing dealer network, writes Trish Whelan. 

Gerard Rice, Managing Director, MG Motor Ireland said: “Expanding into Kildare is a key milestone for MG Motor Ireland as Kildare represents a vital area for our continued growth.” 

Founded in 1951, Fitzpatrick’s Garage Group has become one of Ireland’s most respected motor groups, employing over 150 people across multiple locations. Fitzpatrick’s MG Motor Centre will initially operate from a temporary premises at Junction 13 off the M7, a landmark site next to the iconic Kildare Village outlet.

Pictured above are David Lyons, Fitzpatrick’s Garage Group; Andrew Johnson, National Sales Manager, MG Motor Ireland; Eoghan Sheehy, Sales Development Representative, MG Motor Ireland; and Sean Lyons, CEO, Fitzpatrick’s Garage Group.

Mazda CX-80 Review: Brian Byrne, Irish Car

I got into the Mazda CX-80 and immediately thought, “I’ve been here before.” The Japanese brand’s flagship is a car from the past, writes Brian Byrne. And all the good for that. No starship, massive screens, or virtual buttons. Driver instruments that are beautifully analogue in style. Black leather-clad interior. Then I remembered where I had seen it before: my son in America’s former car, a CX-9. (He currently drives a Kia EV9.)

He confirmed my thoughts when I picked him up at the airport in the CX-80. As it happened, over a family event weekend, we spent a lot of time in it, mostly in very slow traffic, often seemingly gridlocked. It was a good car for that, with room for all aboard to stretch.

The CX-80 is a big car. Longer than, for instance, the Volvo XC90 and not a lot shorter than Audi's Q7. Sales this year are about 11 per cent of the brand's total of 1,038 cars rolled through dealerships, and a significant chunk of sales for a big car. The style doesn't try to be flamboyant and makes the most of its bulk. The front-end treatment is heavy with the large grille, especially in the white of my review car. A small amount of chrome detailing leavens what might otherwise be something bland. Although the model doesn't sell in the US, you get the clear sense that the design is tilted towards US motorist tastes.

I've already given some details of the interior. The straight lines of the dashboard design enhance the impression of width. There's a landscape central screen that doesn't dominate like some, and a broad centre console houses the transmission selector and the rotating knob that Mazda has long used to navigate the screen (it IS a touch-screen in some features, but designed for using the much more intuitive manual control). A head-up display is standard. The review car's configuration was six seats, with the rearmost two providing a capacious, absolutely flat cargo space when not in use. The plush black leather-style seat and door trim feature beige stripes and stitching to set them off. It all has a feel of unassuming luxury, if that's not an oxymoronic thought. The other sense is that the car is very solidly built.

When I first switched it on, there was an unfamiliar sound, another blast from the past. A diesel engine, few of which I get behind these days. Maybe it was because most of what I’m driving is either electric or hybrid, but the Mazda’s startup seemed unusually noisy. But we got used to that before, when diesel was the new black, and I did the same this time, too. It's a big engine — 3.3L and six cylinders — and smoothly runs 254hp through the 8-speed automatic. Mazda has invested significant effort in making its internal combustion engines thrifty and emissions-efficient, and the 5.8L/100km claimed, and achieved, with this one is a testament to its engineers' success. The consumption figure was achieved with the help of the mild-hybrid technology Mazda has developed. The claimed 8.4-second sprint to 100km/h may be possible, but in a car this size, you tend to drive in a more leisurely way. The drive is AWD, designed for maintaining stability in poor driving conditions.

Whether inching along on the grid-locked M50 in Dublin or loping along the motorways of the counties around my home, the CX-80 proved one thing certainly: that it's hard to beat the comfort of a large car when ferrying family about. I left it back having appreciated both its somewhat retro interior and its ability to stay relevant in rapidly changing automotive times. And knowing that it is likely to be the last Mazda to make me think I've been here before — the new generation CX-5, which we will see next year, is going big-screen and Google and a total change in graphics. 

PRICE: From €66,080; review car €77,640. WHAT I LIKED: A last look at the old.