Kia PV5 Passenger Review 2026

You won’t happen upon many car reviews that reference Monty Python’s Flying Circus, yet it feels entirely justified to say ‘and now for something completely different’ when introducing the Kia PV5 Passenger.

We don’t usually devote many words on HonestJohn.co.uk to any car’s styling, primarily because whether or not it appeals to any of us individually is purely subjective. What we can say objectively is that this battery-powered, van-derived MPV looks radically different from anything else of that ilk and for that we applaud Kia’s boldness.

There’s a perpendicularity about the Kia PV5 Passenger, like it’s driven straight out of Minecraft, with a sheer tail and similarly vertical sides. They’re great for promoting interior space, which will be arguably even more useful for the PV5 Cargo panel van versions.

Its nose is sloped for aerodynamic reasons, although it’s shorter and stubbier than all of its rivals bar the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Yet while the ID.Buzz oozes retro charm, the PV5 Passenger’s appeal is ultra-modern, brazenly industrial and highly functional.

Most apparent when viewed from the side, the Kia PV5 appears to be layered—dark grey unpainted plastic side sills and wheel arches form the base, with a wide, smooth, body-coloured band above, itself topped with a glossy black level that draws rearwards from the bonnet and ‘hides’ the windows. The whole ensemble is then capped by a body-coloured roof.

While the result means the Kia PV5 Passenger is strikingly different from anything else, including the brand’s existing models, it doesn’t look out of place next to its highly-related electric cars from the compact Kia EV3 to the gargantuan Kia EV9.

The fuss-free exterior style continues inside, most obviously with the PV5 Passenger’s dashboard. Simple, straight lines dominate, punctuated with a 7.5-inch driver’s display screen and a central 12.9-inch touchscreen being the command centre for the infotainment system.

There's a proliferation of physical buttons and switches on the dash and steering wheel, but the climate control and heated seat functionality is all touchscreen-accessed.

For dimensional context, as well as counting the shorter, five-seater version of the aforementioned Volkswagen as a rival, the Kia is closer in overall length to the smaller Stellantis van-based MPVs, such as the XL-bodied Citroen e-Berlingo and its clones— such as the Toyota Proace City Verso Electric—than it is to the larger ranges that include Vauxhall Vivaro Life Electric. Also note that XL-length e-Berlingos et al have seven seats as standard.

Kia buyers requiring seven seats will have to wait around six months longer for those additional pews—the first PV5s to the UK will be five-seaters with a three-person bench seat in the back row.

Kia PV5 Passenger range: Standard vs. Long Range compared

There are two fully electrical drive systems to choose from, both powering the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.

The PV5 Passenger Standard Range has an official range of 179 miles, while the Long Range alternative promises up to 249 miles. For comparison, a VW ID.Buzz has an official range of 282 miles. 

How long does it take to charge a Kia PV5 Passenger

When you need to recharge you’ll find the PV5 Passenger’s charge port is centrally mounted in its nose. Hooked-up to a 7kW AC domestic wallbox, a 10%-100% recharge for the Standard Range will require up to seven hours, while the Long Range will need up to three hours more for the same level. Interestingly, Kia quotes less than 30 minutes for both battery sizes for a 10%-80% recharge using a 150kW DC connection.

Does the Kia PV5 Passenger have a heat pump?

The Kia PV5 doesn't come with a head pump as standard—it's a £780 option. If you do a lot of longer journeys over the colder months, then we'd recommend adding this as an extra as it will help with your range.

You shouldn't be intimidated by the van-like proportions of the Kia PV5 Passenger, because it's actually not quite as big as you might think.

Thanks to some clever design and packaging, the PV5 Passenger is only 4695mm long – still large, but some 300mm or so shorter than an EV9 and pretty much bang-on the same length as an EV6. 

Unlike a lot of similarly priced electric SUVs, you get a really good raised driving position that gives you a commanding view of the road. This is helped by the huge driver and passenger windows that run almost in-line with your waist.

This really helps with visibility, though that's slightly offset by the chunky windscreen pillars that sit a fair way forward. That niggle aside, it's still a doddle to drive. It has a turning circle a smidge under 11 metres, while it's easy to thread through urban areas—the steering is nice and light at lower speeds, firming up as the speed increases.

Bumbling round town and navigating the pitted and rutted roads of our test route, we were pleased to find the suspension pretty soft and supple, making light work of the many imperfections.

While you're unlikely to be chucking a Kia PV5 Passenger into bends, it's pretty stable and doesn't lean too aggressively when you go into a corner at speed, helped by the low positioning of the batteries. The result is a stable and predictable drive. While there can be some wind noise at motorway speeds, it's pretty refined overall. 

Things are kept simple with a choice of two battery and motor combos. The most affordable set-up is the Standard Range, which partners a 51.5kWh battery pack with a 122PS motor producing 250Nm of torque, giving a 0-62mph acceleration time of 12.8 seconds. 

Opt for the Kia PV5 Long Range model and the battery capacity increases to 71.2kWh, with power from the motor bumped up to 163PS. This means a few seconds are shaved off the 0-62mph benchmark, dropping to 10.7 seconds. For context, the VW ID.Buzz's baseline battery and motor combination delivers a 0-62mph time of 7.6 seconds. 

We've only driven the Long Range PV5, but in most scenarios it felt more than up to the job of everyday driving, with the instant torque of the electric motors making it feel quicker than it actually is. We haven't tried the Standard Range car yet—while we'd imagine it would be fine for most journeys, you may favour the flexibility that that Long Range model provides. 

All Kia PV5 Passenger models have an electronically restricted top speed of 84mph.

The Kia PV5 Passenger has been tested by independent safety organisation Euro NCAP and scored four out of five stars. For comparison, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz scored a full five stars when it was tested.

Dig a little deeper and while the PV5 scored highly for both adult and child occupant safety, it didn't score as highly for pedestrian safety and standard safety tech. The Kia PV5 Cargo version scored a full five stars when tested, though by Euro NCAP has slightly different testing criteria for commercial vehicles.

Safety tech-wise, the PV5 Passenger comes with automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist as standard on all models, as well as adaptive cruise control and an intelligent speed limiter. Upgrading to the Plus trim also gets you Rear Cross Traffic Collision Avoidance and Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance systems, as well as a safe exit warning feature. 

The Kia PV5 Passenger Standard Range has a braked towing capacity of 750kg, but the Kia PV5 Long Range Model doubles that to 1500kg, so that's naturally the one to go for if you want to haul a trailer or caravan.

It's probably no surprise to discover that this is where the PV5 really excels. Up front you get a couple of large and comfy chairs, with the driver's seat sporting an armrest on the left-hand side.

The other side relies on an armrest engineered into the door; trouble is, this one sits slightly higher so it doesn't feel quite as natural as it should when you have both elbows resting on the armrests. It's a little niggle on what is a very functional cabin. The front is dotted with pockets and drawers, while there's ample head and legroom available to satisfy even the tallest of adults.

It's a similar story in the back. Access is via two sliding doors, with the runners skilfully obscured by the PV5's designers using the gloss black top layer in the design. You'll be able to bundle three tall people in the back and even the one sat in the middle seat shouldn't quibble about leg- or headroom. This is the perfect car if your teenage child is on the school basketball team and you've got to take them and three of their mates to training. 

Meanwhile, if you've got a younger family, there are two Isofix points on the Kia PV5 on the outer two rear seats—it feels a little bit of an oversight that there's not one on the front passenger seat. And with there being so much space on the rear bench seat, we wonder if they could have got an Isofix point in the middle seat, too. 

That aside, it means that in standard five-seater guise the Kia PV5’s boot capacity is a huge 1330 litres. You won't find an SUV with anything like that capacity and the five-seat ID.Buzz is down on the PV5 by about 200 litres.

The boot floor sits flush to the lip of the boot—perfect for perching on, changing shoes etc, especially with the the boot lid acting as a giant canopy to shelter you from rain. The boot itself is a useful shape and should allow you to pack lots of stuff in, while there are three underfloor storage compartments for smaller items. Flip the seats down (60/40 split-folding, by the way) and you've got a van-sized space to fill at 2300 litres. 

Is the Kia PV5 Passenger big enough for a family of seven?

The Kia PV5 Passenger is only available as a five-seat option currently, but there is a seven-seat Kia PV5 expected to arrive later in 2026 for the UK market.

Can the Kia PV5 Passenger fit in a standard multi-storey car park?

What may be a hindrance to some is the Kia PV5 Passenger’s loftiness. Kia quotes an overall height of 1915mm, which may well prevent it from accessing some low-ceilinged multi-storey car parks. If you regularly use one with a height limit, ensure you’re aware of what it is before placing an order. That said, it's still 22mm lower than the ID.Buzz and will fit under the 2m height limit that many car parks have.

The interior quality is where you can see some of the PV5 Cargo's DNA coming through. Soft-touch materials are used sparingly, with a decent amount of admittedly pleasingly textured hard plastics utilised. It gives the cabin a more functional rather than luxurious feel, with the muted grey and blue trims underlining this.

It should stand up to regular use and should be relatively easy to keep clean, too. It's great if people and dogs are going to be regularly scrabbling in and out in all weathers, but it might not quite cut it for those looking for a few more niceties. If that's you, don't discount the PV5 just yet – other markets get some nicer two-tone interior finishes that will hopefully make it to UK shores at some point. 

All versions of the Kia PV5 get a 7.5-inch digital driver display, which is better than the piddly display found on the ID.Buzz, while there's a central 12.9-inch touchscreen display in the centre of dashboard. Unlike other Kia EVs, the PV5 uses an Android-based operating system. The icons are pretty small, and unlike other Kia EVs that enjoy physical climate controls, the air-con is adjusted via the touchscreen in the PV5. 

The system features over-the-air (OTA) functionality for system updates. You also get seven years of Kia Connect Services for free, which includes live navigation info and access to the car's systems through an app.

If the PV5's mapping doesn't appeal, then there's wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for connecting your smartphone. We've used it with Apple CarPlay, but have found that often when we get back in the PV5, we need to re-connect it, which is a little frustrating.

The higher spec Plus trim gets wireless phone charging, though there are four USB-C charging points, as well as a modest six-speaker stereo.

Using the Kia PV5 Passenger as a mobile battery (V2L)

Standard on Plus trim and available as an optional extra with the Essential trim is Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology. This means that rather than taking on power, your PV5 can dish it out and act as a mobile power source with a 220V/16A output. You might not need this all the time, but it can power a range of devices, from kettles to laptops - perfect if you're going to take it camping for instance.  

Prices for the Kia PV5 start at £32,995 for the Standard Range model in Essential trim, rising to £35,995 if you want the Long Range model. The top-spec Plus, which comes only in Long Range form, costs from £38,295.

This means that all versions undercut rival cars by a considerable margin. For example, the VW ID.Buzz starts at just over £60,000 and even more cost-conscious competitors struggle to keep up. The Peugeot E-Traveller starts at £35,490 even after the discount afforded by the government's Electric Car Grant, and the Citroen e-SpaceTourer starts at £36,995.

Charging costs aside, the Kia PV5 Standard Range sits in insurance group 25 of 50, while the Long Range Essential sits in group 29 and the Plus in group 30. This is below the ID.Buzz and means that premiums on the PV5 shouldn't be too punchy.

The service interval is every two years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes sooner—another cost saving over a combustion model, which would likely need looking at every year.

As all versions of the PV5 come in under £40,000, you'll avoid the expensive car supplement when it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax). That means you'll pay the flat rate of £195 a year.

All versions of the PV5 will come with the additional reassurance of Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, which is better than almost all other brands.

The Kia PV5 Passenger comes in two trim levels – Essential and Plus.

Both will give you a choice of colours – White Pearl is standard, while Premium paint hues, costing an extra £750, are Midnight Black, Cityscape Green, Steel Grey, Mint Green, Lakehouse Grey and Frost Blue.

Opt for the Kia PV5 Passenger Essential and you'll get:

• 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers
• LED headlights, daytime running lights and rear lights
• Electrically adjustable heated door mirrors
• Manual front-seat adjustment
• Automatic air conditioning
• Start/stop button with smart entry
• Six-speaker sound system
• Two USB-C charge ports
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera

Upgrade to the Kia PV5 Passenger Plus and, on top of the above features of the Essential, you'll find:

• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Flush windows
• Electric folding mirrors
• Heated front and outer rear seats
• Electric front-seat adjustment
• Heated steering wheel
• Cargo screen
• Power boot lid
• Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability
• Three-pin power socket in cargo area
• Wireless phone charger
• Rear cross-traffic collision avoidance system
• Blind-spot collision avoidance system
• Safe exit warning system
• Optional heat pump