16:18 02-08-2026

Kia K5: Bigger Screen, New Steering Wheel and Column Shifter Spotted in Spy Photos

Spy photos of the DL3 PE2 prototype show a redesigned dashboard, new steering wheel and a column-mounted gear selector ahead of the deep 2027 update.

Kia’s second facelift for the K5 will bring a much more noticeable interior overhaul than the previous update. New spy photos reveal a large standalone display, a redesigned steering wheel and a column-mounted gear selector. The old rotary dial will disappear from the center console, freeing up more space between the front seats for storage and wireless charging.

Korean Car Blog published the images of the DL3 PE2 prototype. Wiper controls have been merged into the left steering-column stalk, while the transmission selector now sits to the right of the wheel. The layout is already used on newer Hyundai and Kia models and lets automakers drop mechanical elements from the center console.

The display layout resembles Pleos Connect, though the software platform can’t be confirmed from photos alone. Hyundai Motor Group officially describes Pleos as a system with a wide central screen, a separate driver display, physical buttons, over-the-air updates, an app store and the Gleo AI voice assistant. Kia has not yet named the K5 as the brand’s first model with this infotainment suite.

Sources also link the sedan to the TMED-II hybrid powertrain. The technology does use two electric motors and can support V2L, torque vectoring and various all-wheel-drive setups. However, Hyundai Motor Group notes that the exact feature set depends on the vehicle class and market. Whether e-AWD and V2L will actually appear on the K5 has not been officially confirmed.

The upcoming DL3 PE2 shouldn’t be confused with the sedan already on sale in Korea under the name The 2027 K5. That current model is an annual update without a new interior, and starts at 27.63 million won. The deeply revised sedan isn’t expected until 2027.