Kia K5 vs. Volkswagen Jetta
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Kia K5 and Volkswagen Jetta contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Kia K5 and the Volkswagen Jetta.
When comparing the Kia K5's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Kia K5 has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. The Volkswagen Jetta has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing, typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency and resale value. Based on this comparison of the Kia K5's and the Volkswagen Jetta's specifications and ratings, the Volkswagen Jetta is a better car than the Kia K5.
Pricing: A used 2024 Kia K5 ranges from $26,124 to $35,368 while a used 2024 Volkswagen Jetta is priced between $21,495 to $29,945. For a new model, the Kia K5's price is between $27,140 and $37,592, with the Volkswagen Jetta priced between $23,088 and $30,451.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Kia K5 loses 42.2 percent of its value and the Volkswagen Jetta loses 36 percent of its value. This means the Volkswagen Jetta retains 6.2 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Kia K5.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Kia K5’s base engine makes 180 horsepower, and the Volkswagen Jetta base engine makes 158 horsepower. The K5 is rated to deliver an average of 31 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 585 miles. The Jetta is rated to deliver an average of 34 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 554 miles.This gives the Volkswagen Jetta the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Kia K5 the advantage in maximum range. Both models use regular unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Kia K5, a midsize car, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, and cargo space. The Volkswagen Jetta, a compact car, has the advantage in the area of rear leg room.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Kia K5 and the Volkswagen Jetta have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$27,140 - $37,592
Starting MSRP:
$25,590
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize Cars)
$26,143
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize Cars)
$24,700 - $27,895
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
$23,088 - $30,451
Starting MSRP:
$21,435
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)
$26,555
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)
$17,795 - $45,665
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$30,529
Price Range:
$26,124 - $35,368
Category Avg Price:
(Midsize Cars)
$29,305
Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize Cars)
$25,951 - $31,688
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
462
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
19,859
# Good or Great Deals:
120
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$25,029
Price Range:
$21,495 - $29,945
Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)
$28,855
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)
$19,171 - $47,673
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
965
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
12,488
# Good or Great Deals:
112
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
Depreciation %:
Resale Value $:
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Midsize Cars)
37.2%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Midsize Cars)
32.1% - 45.7%
5-year Depreciation
Depreciation $:
$7,817
Depreciation %:
36.5%
Resale Value $:
$13,618
Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)
31.6%
Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)
24.4% - 40.1%
Kia K5 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
7.9 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
Volkswagen Jetta Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.8 / 10
Reliability:
8.1 / 10
Retained Value:
8.3 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Kia K5
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Midsize Cars)
10.1
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize Cars)
9.5 - 13
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Volkswagen Jetta
Avg Life Expectancy (years):
10.3
Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)
11.2
Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)
10.1 - 13.6
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
9%
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
3.3
Typical Category Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
3.3
Category Range for Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
1.7 - 15.5
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
2.9
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
2 - 18.8
Kia K5 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 13Ranking
1 out of / 13Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
4 out of / 9Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
6 out of / 13Ranking
8 out of / 13Ranking
12 out of / 13Volkswagen Jetta Rankings
Ranking
3 out of / 43Ranking
6 out of / 43Ranking
8 out of / 24Ranking
8 out of / 13Ranking
9 out of / 13Ranking
10 out of / 43Ranking
11 out of / 43Ranking
11 out of / 43Ranking
13 out of / 43Ranking
24 out of / 43Ranking
30 out of / 43Ranking
34 out of / 43Ranking
37 out of / 43Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Kia K5 Trim Levels
EX, GT, GT-Line, LXS
Volkswagen Jetta Trim Levels
SEL, Sport, S, SE
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
10 years / 100000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
180 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque:
195 foot-lbs @ 1500 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.057 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
158 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque:
184 foot-lbs @ 1750 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.055 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
1.6 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
27 / 37 / 31
Range (city/hwy):
427 / 585 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
1.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
29 / 42 / 34
Range (city/hwy):
383 / 554 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Roadside assistance:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Power outlet:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Parking Sensors:
N/A
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Internet Radio:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
Standard
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
40.2 inches
Front Leg Room:
46.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
58 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.8 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.2 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56.1 inches
Cargo Space:
16 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
121.3 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.5 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.1 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.2 inches
Rear Leg Room:
37.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54 inches
Cargo Space:
14.1 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
94.7 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3148 lbs
Width:
73.2 inches
Height:
56.9 inches
Length:
193.1 inches
Wheelbase:
112.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.3 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
2895 lbs
Width:
80.2 inches
Height:
57.7 inches
Length:
186.5 inches
Wheelbase:
105.7 inches
Ground Clearance:
5.5 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 6.5 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P205/65R16
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 6.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy with painted accents
Tire Size:
P205/60R16
Exterior Colors
Black
Ebony Black
Blue
Sapphire Blue
Gray
Gravity Gray
Red
Passion Red Tintcoat
Silver
Everlasting Silver
White
Glacial White Pearl
Exterior Colors
Black
Deep Black Pearl
Blue
Rising Blue Metallic
Gray
Platinum Gray Metallic
Red
Not available
Silver
Pyrite Silver Metallic
White
Pure White
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Gray
Not available
Interior Colors
Black
Titan Black
Gray
Storm Gray
