UK Drive: Kia is off to a good start in the electric MPV market with the PV5 Passenger

Electric SUVs have dominated our roads for quite some time, becoming the car of choice for families and those wanting a tall driving position.

The MPV market began to dwindle more than a decade ago due to a lack of demand. At the same time, SUVs became more popular and lower in price, too.

However, now, MPVs are coming back and Kia wants a slice of that action with the PV5 Passenger – a tall, futuristic family car that comes with loads of personality and space.

So, is the PV5 a worthy contender alongside its main rival, the Volkswagen ID.Buzz? Let’s find out.

Electric MPVs are rising in popularity and the PV5 is Kia’s first swing at this segment.

The PV5 is also available as a ‘Cargo’ commercial variant – a first for the brand – and sits on a new platform called ‘E-GMP.S’, allowing for several different body styles to be offered from this architecture in the future.

The PV5 Passenger is all about space, while providing a futuristic design and is available with a choice of battery packs.

It also undercuts its main rival on price by a hefty margin, making it a much more attractive proposition for families.

What’s under the bonnet?

There’s a choice of two battery options with the PV5 and it’s the larger 71.2kWh variant that we’re driving.

It’s powered by a single electric motor that produces 160bhp and 250Nm of torque, while 60mph comes round in 10.4 seconds and the top speed is 84mph.

Kia claims the van can travel up to 256 miles in this setup, while rapid-charging capabilities top out at 150kW, enabling a 10 to 80 per cent charge in less than 30 minutes.

The entry-level model comes equipped with a smaller 51.5kWh battery pack and electric motor to make 120bhp and can hit 60mph in 12.6 seconds. This variant has a claimed range of up to 183 miles between charges.

The PV5 feels much more car-like than you might think from behind the wheel.

It’s not a sports car by any means, but for such a tall vehicle, it handles surprisingly well with a well-controlled chassis limiting body roll around the corners.

What impresses us the most is the car’s tight 5.5-metre turning circle, which makes it much more manoeuvrable, while the flat front and rear ends of the vehicle help out when parallel parking.

There are acres of glass, which makes you feel like you’re driving a greenhouse while providing excellent visibility from all angles.

The only downside is that the car’s tall proportions make it susceptible to being blown about on the motorway by crosswinds, which can make it feel nervous at higher speeds.

The PV5 looks like nothing else on the road thanks to its bubble-shaped proportions and flat front end.

It’s the latest Kia to use its ‘Opposites United’ design language with its bumper-mounted rectangular headlights, vertical daytime running lights and black bonnet, giving a two-tone paint effect.

The side profile is very slab-sided and boxy, with those low windows helping improve visibility and making the vehicle more futuristic.

Towards the rear, the flat back end incorporates vertical LED taillights and an extremely large tailgate which boasts a low load lip – ideal if you need to pack lots of heavy items.

The PV5’s dashboard feels more van-like with its flat, open design.

The interior materials are hard and rough to the touch, though with a hard-working family life in mind for the PV5, they do make it feel more durable.

Storage is near-endless with a pull-out storage box located in the dashboard, several cupholders, a secret storage compartment under the driver’s seat and a cubby space located in front of the driver.

The sliding rear doors are not electrically operated, although they are light, which doesn’t make them difficult to open.

The PV5 Passenger only seats five, but rear-seat occupants won’t be complaining with the space on offer, as it’s positively huge. You could fit another row of chairs in front of the rear-seat passengers for the amount of space, and there is masses of headroom.

Our test car also comes with PVC leather seats, which are durable, practical and can be easily wiped down if there are any spillages. Passengers have two USB-C charging ports, front seatback pockets and phone holders.

The PV5 provides one of the largest boot spaces of any car with a total volume of 1,330 litres, while the rear seats fold flat to transform that room into 2,300 litres, which is 95 litres more than the total volume you’ll find in the largest Volkswagen ID.Buzz.

There are also additional underfloor storage areas and deep rear pockets located side-by-side in the boot area.

There are only two trim levels, which makes it much easier to choose the right model: Essential and Plus.

The PV5 shines in the value for money stakes as prices start at £32,995. That’s more than £27,000 cheaper than the cheapest Volkswagen ID.Buzz, while our test car comes in at £36,795 and is eligible for the government’s ‘Electric Vehicle Grant’, shaving off £1,500 from the original list price.

All models come with an impressive amount of standard kit, including LED headlights, a 12.9-inch infotainment system, a 7.5-inch digital driver’s display, climate control and rain-sensing windscreen wipers.

Our top-of-the-line Plus model comes with all the toys you could ever need, including 16-inch alloy wheels, a powered tailgate, heated front seats and steering wheel, a vehicle-to-load (V2L) function, which allows electrical appliances such as a hair dryer to be plugged in using the car’s battery, and electrically adjustable front seats.

However, an energy-saving heat pump is only an option on our top-spec Plus model, with the technology not available on the entry-level version.

If you’re looking for an electric MPV that is all about space and will turn a lot of heads, then the Kia PV5 Passenger is hard to beat.

Its incredible value alone makes it a much more compelling option next to the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. Its car-like driving dynamics, clever use of storage and charming character make it a vehicle that could easily form part of the family. That’s why we think this is the electric MPV of the moment and should definitely be on your short list.