Kia PV5 review: Delivering unrivalled value

December 26, 2025 Matt Allan

Kia has big plans for the electric van world, starting with the PV5. But is this newcomer good enough to rival the VW ID Buzz, Ford’s E-Transit line-up and myriad Stellantis options?

Kia’s electric vehicle naming strategy seems pretty simple. You’ve got “EV” to signify a car is electric, then a number from one to nine to indicate how big it is.

So what, then is the Kia PV5?

It’s the first step in Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) strategy – “a vision to redefine commercial mobility through modular electric vehicles”.

Or an electric van to you and me.

Behind all the marketing waffle, this is Kia’s first stab at a commercial vehicle. Size-wise it occupies a similar space as the Volkswagen ID Buzz, sitting somewhere between the Ford E-Transit Courier and Custom models. Or the Peugeot E-Partner and E-Expert, if you’re a Stellantis fan.

That puts it in a slightly odd space between traditional compact and medium-sized vans, but could make it a useful option for businesses seeking a middle ground between established models.

Kia has already proven that it can take on and beat the world’s biggest car brands with its passenger cars, so can it repeat that success with the PV5 Cargo and its five-seat Passenger variant?

Kia PV5 design, interior and technology

As if to emphasise that this isn’t “just another van”, Kia’s gone big and bold with the PV5’s looks.

Its smooth, short front end emphasises that this isn’t a converted diesel vehicle but a ground-up EV. Its headlights are buried low down either side of the central charging port while a black “visor” beneath the windscreen and wide-set slimline running lights create a bold and individual look.

There is something distinctly futuristic about the squared-off angles around the wheel arches and in the details of the side panels, but there’s only so much “design” you can do with a panel van, so away from the bold front end, the PV5 looks a lot like any van.

The interior also shouts “van!” very loudly. It’s a much more practical but much less stylish place than an ID Buzz cabin, with a drab grey-over-grey finish but all the elements commercial users have come to expect.

There are massive three-level door pockets with cup and bottle holders galore and space for smaller items. There’s also a big lidded dash-top storage bin, a deep under-dash tray with wireless phone charger and a pull-out drawer at the bottom of the centre console. Between the seats there’s another big storage space with yet more cupholders and a deep segmented storage bin. It feels like it’s been designed with input from the people who use vans for business on a daily basis.

For such a practical cabin it’s frustrating, then, to find that Kia has placed too much reliance on the 12.9-inch touchscreen. While passenger cars get physical switchgear for the climate and audio controls, the PV5 makes do with tiny, hard-to-hit onscreen buttons that extend to most functions. Beneath the awkward skin, however, the screen runs on Android Automotive which allows for the addition of business-focused apps such as fleet management systems.

That screen sits at the centre of a very plain slab-like dashboard, with a second seven-inch instrument display beside it. As we’ve come to expect from Kia it feels robust enough to survive years of heavy use, but there’s no doubt it feels more utilitarian and less car-like than the Buzz’s light, stylish approach.

For some reason, the PV5 has an oddly car-like seating position, You don’t sit as upright as in other vans. In the passenger version this is fine but in cargo versions with a bulkhead, the seat doesn’t slide as far back, leaving taller drivers feeling oddly cramped.

In passenger guise, those in the back will have no such complaints. The five-seater offers acres of legroom and more than enough room for three adults across its bench, ahead of an absolutely cavernous 1,330-litre luggage space. There’s no seven-seat option yet but it is on its way.

Practicality and payload

For the moment, there’s just one body size for the PV5 Cargo. The L2/H1 variant measures in at 4.67m long by 1.9m high. Cargo volume is rated at 4.4m3 and maximum payload ranges from 665kg for the long-range four-door version to 790kg for the standard-range three-door.

That puts it behind the industry benchmark E-Transit Custom, which even in its smallest L1/H1 is 5m long, with a 5.8m3 volume. Its payload is also more than a tonne in every variant.

Kia, however, sees the ID Buzz Cargo as the PV5s’ key rival, and the Korean van has an extra 0.5m3 of cargo volume compared to the VW and can carry between 60kg and 180kg more payload.

Later in 2026 we’ll get an L1/H1 that’s a bit closer to the E-Transit Courier in size, and we’ll see a supersized L2/H2 that will boost cargo capacity, although presumably not payload.

Every PV5 Cargo comes with 180-degree opening rear doors and a single sliding door on one side. A second slider is standard on the Passenger van and a paid-for option on all Cargo variants.

With consideration to long-term running costs, the PV5 features modular elements such as removable cladding and three-piece bumpers that allow individual sections to be replaced without the cost of fitting a whole new bumper.

The PV5 also features Kia’s “AddGear” which provides attachment points which can be added to or rearranged on a case-by-case basis and offer space to add extra cupholders, umbrella hooks, tool racks or storage bins.

Battery, motor and performance

Both Cargo and Passenger versions of the Kia PV5 come with a choice of two powertrains.

Basic versions use a 51.5kWh battery with 184 miles of range and a 120bhp/184lb ft motor. Zero to 62mph takes a leisurely 16.2 seconds fully laden.

Entry level “Essential” trim can also be specified with a more powerful and longer range pairing, which are standard on the higher-spec Plus model. This uses a 71.2kWh battery with 258 miles of range and a 160bhp/184lb ft motor that’s good for 0-62mph in 12.4 seconds.

Passenger versions lose one or two miles of range compared with the Cargo model but every model comes with peak DC charging of 150kW. That is better than most of Kia’s passenger cars and will top even the larger battery from 10-80% in less than 30 minutes.

On the road, the 160bhp variant feels livelier than its on-paper stats would suggest. It’s never going to keep up with the 282bhp E-Transit Custom or similarly muscular ID Buzz, but it’s peppy enough for nipping around town or darting out of a junction, with a nicely balanced throttle and well calibrated regenerative braking that can be shifted between four levels of power via column-mounted paddles.

Being a van, handling is never going to be the PV5’s strongest suit but it feels planted and solid on the road thanks to its low centre of gravity and some reassuring weight to the steering. The ride is less brittle than in some alternatives but there is still a boominess at higher speeds due to the sheer amount of wide open space inside.

Price and specification

One of the arguments against electric vans is that they are too expensive, especially compared with their diesel counterparts.

Kia, however, has turned that on its head with the PV5 which offers remarkable value.

The Cargo starts at £27,645 excluding VAT for the 51.4kWh Essential grade. Factoring in VAT and applying the £5,000 Plug-in Van Grant (PIVG), that equates to an on-the-road price of £29,299.

The bigger battery adds £3,000 to that while the Plus trim costs from £31,055 before VAT or any grant, amounting to £33,391 OTR after tax and grants.

To put that in context, the smaller Ford E-Transit Courier starts at £27,000 before VAT or any grants and the larger E-Transit Custom starts at £43,630 exclusive of VAT. The most basic ID Buzz Cargo starts at £39,205 OTR with the PIVG applied, although it does offer more power and around 40 miles more range.

The Passenger version is a similar story. Thanks to a £1,500 discount via the Electric Car Grant, the PV5 Passenger starts at just £31,495 for the 51.5kWh Essential and maxes out at £36,795 for the 71.2kWh Plus model.

The ID Buzz passenger version offers a lot more power – 282bhp v 160bhp – and a bit more range – 282 miles v 256 miles, but it starts at a jaw-dropping £60,000.

Even Essential spec vans get LED lights, automatic air conditioning, the 12.9-inch main screen with wireless Android and Apple mirroring, front and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and highway driving assist.

The Plus grade adds heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, wireless phone charging, vehicle-to-load capability and the option to add a heat pump. Passenger Plus variants also get 16-inch alloy wheels, heated outer rear seats, powered driver’s seat adjustment and a powered tailgate.

Verdict

As an alternative to the VW ID Buzz, the Kia PV5 feels more utilitarian and less stylish. It also offers less power and a little less range. But the Cargo version is £8,000 cheaper than the Buzz Cargo, and savings on the passenger variant are a barely believable £30,000.

Compared with the more traditional Transits, Vivaros and Trafics, the PV5 is smaller, with less cargo space and lower payload. However, it’s also massively cheaper than those while still delivering a practical capable panel van or people carrier that will meet a lot of business’ and families’ needs.

On top of that, it brings all the usual Kia qualities of a well thought-out and thoroughly robust cabin, generous equipment and impressive EV powertrain.

It might be Kia’s first attempt at a van, but it’s a damn impressive one.