Compare the2025 Honda AccordVS 2025 Kia K5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Kia K5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Honda Accord has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The K5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Accord has standard HondaLink Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The K5 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Accord and the K5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Kia K5:

	Accord	K5
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	202	295
Leg Forces (l/r)	245/270 lbs.	444/276 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	203	373
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	32.5%	50%
Neck Compression	39 lbs.	58 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Accord is much safer than the K5:

	Accord	K5
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg Forces L/R	337/382 pounds	495/562 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	POOR
Chest Rating	GOOD	POOR
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Compression L/R	22/22 pounds	292/67 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	POOR

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Kia K5:

	Accord	K5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	67	110
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	92 lbs.	190 lbs.
Hip Force	244 lbs.	264 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	75 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	147	297

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Accord is much safer than the K5:

	Accord	K5
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Peak Forces	no contact	40 G’s
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.14 in	1.85 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	10 MPH	13 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	156 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Force	290 lbs.	312 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	669 lbs.	1294 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Accord, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 1.2% less likely to roll over than the K5, which received a four-star rating.

The Honda Accord has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The K5 is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Accord’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the K5 runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 34 percent more Honda dealers than there are Kia dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda Accord’s reliability 14 points higher than the K5.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 1 more horsepower (192 vs. 191) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (192 vs. 181) than the K5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda Accord turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Kia K5 4 cyl.:

	Accord	K5
Zero to 60 MPH	8 sec	8.6 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.3 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91 MPH	89 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the K5:

			MPG
Accord
	FWD	EX-L 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/44 hwy
		Sport/Touring 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/41 hwy
		1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy
K5
	FWD	LXS 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/37 hwy
		GT-Line/EX 2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	25 city/36 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/33 hwy
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/33 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Accord Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The K5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the Accord’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (1.5T only). Kia only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the K5 LX, and doesn’t offer a disable button.

The Accord has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The K5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (6 out of 10) than the Kia K5 (4 to 6). This means the Accord produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the K5 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The K5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Accord stops much shorter than the K5:

	Accord	K5
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the K5 (225/50R17 vs. 205/65R16).

The Accord LX/SE/EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the K5 LXS’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord LX/SE/EX-L has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the K5 LXS.

Suspension and Handling

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .87 G’s, while the K5 GT-Line AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Accord Touring Hybrid executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the K5 GT-Line AWD (27.1 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Accord uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The K5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The K5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Accord has 5.6 inches more rear legroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the K5.

Cargo Capacity

The Accord has a much larger trunk than the K5 (16.7 vs. 15.6 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The K5’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Accord SE/Sport/EX-L/Touring. The K5 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 41% lower rating, Kia is ranked 27th.

Ergonomics

The Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The K5 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Accord’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The K5’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Accord’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The K5’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Accord Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Both the Accord and the K5 offer available heated front seats. The Accord Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the K5.

Both the Accord and the K5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Accord has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The K5 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Accord and the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 25 more times in the last 26 years. The K5 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the Kia K5 by almost four to one during 2024.

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