Car of the Year Awards 2026: MPV of the Year
Sometimes companies get their products right at the very first attempt: Apple’s iPhone, the Swiss Army knife from the firm that would become Victorinox. And you can add the Kia PV5 to that list, because the brand’s first electric MPV is a brilliant one.
The PV5 is based on clever underpinnings that allow it to be made in a variety of shapes and sizes. While a van version is available, it’s the Passenger model we’re interested in here. It’s currently available only as a five-seater, although a seven-seater is coming.
If an MPV does nothing else, it must provide huge space for passengers – and the PV5 does this, and then some. There’s masses of space up front, and rear seat passengers will enjoy limo-like leg room. It’ll accommodate three abreast easily, too, because the interior is wide and the floor is flat.
The PV5 has a vast boot, with the capacity to accommodate 16 carry-on suitcases below the load cover. That means it’ll easily handle large-family life or bulky sports equipment, and it will probably be a superb choice for airport-run taxi drivers.
But the best MPVs aren’t just big; they’re clever, too. So, the PV5 has plenty of storage areas all around the interior, as well as a user-friendly infotainment system than compares well with the Volkswagen ID Buzz’s. And if you choose our favourite Plus version, you’ll get vehicle-to-load charging technology, which allows you to run mains-powered equipment via a three-pin socket inside the car.
The PV5 is comfortable, thanks to supple suspension that soaks up lumps and bumps. And while it’s no sports car, it isn’t too wallowy. Besides, more important is the fact that its high driving position gives a superb view of the road ahead, while light steering and a sensible, 10.8m turning circle mean it’s far less cumbersome on tight city streets than you might expect.
Battery range is respectable rather than stellar. Indeed, the Standard Range PV5 can’t go as far between top-ups as most of its rivals, so we think the Long Range is the model to go for. Officially, its 67kWh (usable capacity) battery gives a range of up to 256 miles; that’s farther than the Peugeot e-Traveller, and not far off what the much pricier Buzz can manage. It’s a shame, then, that a heat pump (a more efficient way of warming the interior in cold conditions) is optional rather than standard, although you have to pay extra for that on the Buzz too.
Every PV5 charges at rates of up to 150kW. That figure is down on the five-seat Buzz’s 185kW and the Buzz LWB’s 200kW, so it means a 10-80% charge will take around 40 minutes at best.
The PV5 comes with a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty, though, whereas the Buzz makes do with three years or 60,000 miles of cover. And then there’s the price: our favourite PV5 costs £38,295 – more than £28,000 less than a mid-range five-seat ID Buzz.
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