Kia K5 GT Smashes Jetta GLI and Honda Accord 2.0T in Drag Race

Two Korean sedans get roughly the same powertrain, this K5 GT and the Sonata N Line. It comprises of the new 2.5-liter turbocharged engine making 290 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and a respectable 311 pound-feet (421 Nm) of torque. This is connected to a DCT gearbox that was supposedly built for performance configurations but proved to be the weak link in previous drag races.

Meanwhile, the Jetta GLI feels completely outclassed. Not only is visibly smaller than its mid-sized rivals, but the 2.0 TSI under its hood only produces 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque (350 Nm). While Volkswagens have a decent reputation, the Jetta has shown to be slower than an equivalently powered GTI.

And finally, we arrive at the wild car, the Honda Accord. This looks like just another rental car and only claims to make 252 horsepower. But we have seen it do quite well in the past. It's gone up against the Sonata N Line, as well as the Jetta GTI.

However, in all the drag races we've seen thus far, the Korean powertrain struggled, usually because the DCT didn't want to do a good launch. But at the hands of YouTuber Sam CarLegion, it's done quite well. The Kia starts about level with its rivals and begins to pull ahead, as you'd expect from the car with the most power and torque.

The victory is by no means crushing, but we're happy to see a result that heavily favors a K5 GT. Kia put a lot of effort into bringing something special to this segment, and small drag race victories like this one could sway buying decisions.

But it's worth noting that during the third race, the Honda Accord gets a fantastic launch and scores an early lead. These three sedans have been built to do slightly different things, but all cost roughly $30,000 and use turbochargers to squeeze out extra performance.