Kia PV5 Cargo Review & Prices

Kia entering the world of commercial vehicles might not have been on your 2025 bingo card, but the new PV5 shows that it’s pretty serious about doing so. It’s an electric van that straddles the gap between small vans such as the Citroen e-Berlingo and medium-sized ones such as the Ford E-Transit Custom, and it’s both high-tech and fantastically affordable - even if the load area feels a little bit compromised.

The Kia PV5 feels a bit like a Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo - it’s all-electric, interestingly stylish and surprisingly practical. However, where the ID Buzz is unashamedly retro, harking back to the old VW Type 2 van, the PV5 goes the other way with edgy cyberpunk styling that feels like it’s come off the set of a Judge Dredd movie.

The PV5 isn’t just a square body shoved onto one of Kia’s cars, either - it uses a bespoke set of mechanicals that will eventually underpin a whole range of electric vans including a larger PV7 and PV9 - and potentially even a smaller PV3.

The new PV5 looks like nothing else on the road. Up front, it has a flat face with low-set headlights hidden in the air intake and eye-catching daytime running lights on either side of the bonnet. There’s a charging flap dead centre. The sides and rear are more conventionally van-shaped, but the square dimensions, chunky door handles, funky alloy wheels and vertical taillights give it plenty of character still.

Kia PV5: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 184 - 258 miles
Efficiency: 3.5 - 3.6 mi/kWh
Battery size: 51.5kWh / 71.2kWh
Max charge speed: 150kW
Charge time AC: 4 hrs 45 mins / 6 hrs 30 mins (11kW)
Charge time DC: < 30 mins 10-80% (150kW)
Charge port location: Front centre
Power outputs: 120hp / 160hp

The interior is even more unconventional. Lots of bits will be recognisable if you’ve driven one of Kia’s passenger cars recently, but it’s all been given a commercial vehicle sheen of robustness - the plastics feel more hardwearing, and Kia’s added texture instead of plushness to give it some visual interest.

Everything in the cab is driven by the 12.3-inch touchscreen display, which operates slickly and has a pretty user-friendly interface. It’s still not ideal for a working vehicle though, where mucky or gloved hands will struggle to use it. Interior storage is a mixed bag, too - the multi-level door bins are great, and there’s a really useful storage drawer low on the dash - but the glovebox is small and there’s little in the way of covered storage for documents.

Loading up the PV5 again highlights how different it is from other vans. Kia targeted an incredibly low loading height, not always easy on electric vans where the batteries often sit under the floor. It has succeeded, but it’s so low that the suspension actually gets in the way so you don’t have an unobstructed entrance.

In terms of payload, the PV5 is good but not exceptional. With a maximum of 790kg it beats the ID Buzz Cargo, but a more conventional electric van such as a Peugeot E-Expert can take over a ton.

There are two trim levels, two battery capacities and just one body size available for the PV5 at the moment. Even the entry-level ‘Essential’ trim is well equipped, but the ‘Plus’ adds some real luxury touches such as heated and ventilated front seats, almost unheard of on a van.

The standard range battery can cover up to 184 miles on a charge, while the long range one gives up to 258 miles. While neither of these are gamechanging figures, they’re still very useful for most commercial buyers - and just like with Kia’s electric cars, you can expect them to be more accurate than some alternatives.

The final feather in the PV5’s cap is its pricing. Thanks to the plug-in van grant and an already great-value entry price, you can pick up a PV5 for a staggeringly low entry cost. Forget price parity with diesel vans - in some cases, the PV5 is actually cheaper than its conventionally-fuelled alternatives, making it a seriously attractive option.

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Pricing is one of the PV5’s strongest points. Excluding VAT and adding on the plug-in van grant (the PV5 qualifies for the maximum £5,000 discount), the starting price is just £22,645. That’s staggering value - you’ll pay more for a small diesel van, such as a Volkswagen Caddy. Even applying the PiVG to its alternatives, the Kia comes out on top, undercutting smaller vans such as the Citroen e-Berlingo.

Perhaps the Kia’s closest alternative, the Volkswagen ID Buzz Cargo, still tops £30,000 with the PiVG.

And it’s not like you’re getting some stripped-out base model for that price, either. Even the entry-level ‘Essential’ variant has LED lights all round, automatic lights and wipers, climate control, wireless smartphone connectivity, all-round parking sensors and a reversing camera plus a glut of safety features.

Stepping up to the Plus trim nets you heated and cooled seats, vehicle-to-load power (great for charging up tools on the go) and a wireless smartphone charger. A second side sliding door is optional on either trim, and a heat pump is optional on Plus models.

Stepping up to the larger battery will cost you £2,500, going from Essential to Plus will be £900, and adding an extra sliding door £355.

The Kia PV5 is comfortable and laid-back to drive, with a great turning circle - but the Ford E-Transit Custom is better overall

There are two options for the Kia PV5’s powertrain. The Standard Range model gets a 51.5kWh battery and a 120hp electric motor, while the Long Range van has a 71.2kWh battery and a 160hp electric motor. Both are front-wheel drive only.

We’ve spent some time driving the Long Range model in and around Oslo, taking in a variety of roads including highways, twisting country lanes and crowded city streets.

It’s very easy to drive - as easy as any of Kia’s passenger cars, in fact. The starter button sits on the drive selector, which is a fat stalk mounted to the steering column. Simply shift into drive and you can set off, while a set of paddles behind the wheel controls the regenerative braking. There are three options, but if you hold the left paddle you can activate full one-pedal driving, which is very useful in the city.

Performance is strong, though the ID Buzz Cargo’s 204hp motor gives it a bit more pep. The PV5 is easy to drive smoothly though, with a predictable response from the accelerator that bodes well for businesses that have to carry delicate loads in the back. It’s worth mentioning that we’ve only tested it unladen, however - it probably won’t feel quite as urgent if you’re driving with several hundred kilos of payload in the rear.

The PV5’s steering is light and accurate, but feels heavily assisted so you don’t get too much information about what the front wheels are doing. Drive it quickly in the corners and you can feel the front tyres scrabbling for grip - a Ford E-Transit Custom is more enjoyable.

The PV5 is fantastically manoeuvrable, though, with a super-tight turning circle that makes city driving a breeze. Visibility is good out of the large glass area at the front, the side mirrors are large enough and you can set the feed from the rear camera to display permanently alongside things like the nav, acting as a pseudo rear-view mirror.

It’s pretty comfortable too, with soft enough suspension dealing well with most larger lumps and bumps. You are sat much further forward than you are in an ID Buzz, though, and being nearly on top of the front wheels means you’re moved about a bit more in your seat. It’s nothing drastic though.

Better payloads than a VW ID Buzz Cargo, but the loading area is oddly shaped due to the low floor

Kia offers the PV5 in just one body size at the moment - L2H1. A smaller L1H1 is planned, as is an L2H2 with more capacity. As standard, you get just one side sliding door, though a second one is available as a reasonably-priced £345 option. The rear barn doors open to 180 degrees, and there’s a fixed bulkhead with no load-through capability.

One oddity is the PV5’s load floor. Kia’s targeted a super-low entry height of just 419mm, which is great - but that’s actually lower than the suspension assemblies, which means there’s a second narrowing of the load area in addition to the one usually created by the wheel arches.

You can carry a Euro pallet lengthways between this, and a second one widthways further forward in the load area. Kia does offer a secondary load floor to flatten this out, but it looks rather homemade and impacts on that super-low load height. However, if you don’t carry perfectly square loads, or intend to fit your PV5 out with racking anyway, it probably won’t matter too much.

Kia PV5 internal and external dimensions

Exterior dimensions (L2H1)

Length: 4,695mm
Width excluding mirrors: 1,895mm
Height: 1,923mm

Interior dimensions (L2H1)

Interior loading length: 2,255mm
Interior loading width between wheelarches: 1,330mm
Interior loading width above wheel arches: 1,565mm
Interior loading height: 1,520mm
Rear door opening height: 1,300mm
Rear door opening width: 1,345mm
Side door opening width: 775mm

Towing capacity

Few surprises here - the Kia PV5 is rated to tow just 750kg braked or unbraked. That’s not unexpected from a smallish electric van, though alternatives can pull more - the VW ID Buzz Cargo can tow up to 1,000kg, the Renault Kangoo E-Tech up to 1,500kg and if you go a little larger the Ford E-Transit Custom can manage up to 2,300kg.

Payload

The payload for the Kia PV5 ranges from 665kg for a large battery variant with twin sliding doors up to 790kg for the smaller battery with just three doors. Those aren’t the best in class - the E-Transit Custom and Stellantis group electric vans tip just over a ton, though it does beat the VW ID Buzz Cargo and its measly 607kg max.

High-tech cabin lacks covered storage, but it’s very comfortable and loaded with tech

The Kia PV5’s cab feels appropriately futuristic, and though it’s not just a carbon copy of Kia’s excellent electric passenger cars there are quite a few bits of switchgear you’ll recognise.

The dash is dominated by a big, 12.3-inch touchscreen, but while in the VW ID Buzz Cargo this arrangement is a recipe for frustration, Kia’s implementation is a bit less frustrating. It’s responsive, superbly easy to operate and retains obvious shortcut keys to the most useful functions. A physical volume control and some discrete climate controls would be nice, though, especially as vans are often operated by people with mucky hands or gloves.

Some of the controls also feel a little small and delicate for bigger mitts, though you can bypass most of the interface for wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if you prefer. Plus models even get a wireless charging pad.

Driver information is presented on a smaller screen directly behind the steering wheel, with a simple interface. It’s easy to read though some features, such as the automatic blind spot cameras, are a little small to be useful.

Material quality is good, with textured plastics used to make things interesting rather than plush materials. Build quality feels rock-solid and the seats are comfortable, with plenty of adjustability in the driving position even for tall drivers.

At first the PV5 will only be offered as a two-seater. The cabin feels a bit narrow for the upcoming three-seat model, but at least the floor is totally flat. This makes it easy to embark from either side, too, useful in city driving.

Storage is a mixed bag. There’s a useful drawer low down on the dash, and the high-set door bins next to the window ledges are fantastically useful. There’s a dearth of covered storage though, with a smallish glovebox and only one compartment on the dashtop that isn’t large enough to keep documents. With the only cupholders being between the front seats, we’re not sure where anyone will keep their coffees on the three-seater version, either.

The Kia PV5’s two battery options consist of a Standard Range, 51.5kWh model with an official 184 miles per charge, and a Long Range, 71.2kWh model that should do up to 258 miles per charge.

Those are pretty good figures for an electric van, and among this size of vehicle it’s beaten only by the ID Buzz which has an official range of more than 270 miles. It’s worth noting, though, that while most of Kia’s electric vehicles tend to return really close to their maximum range estimate, we can’t say the same for the ID Buzz models we’ve tested in the past - so the actual gap may not be so large.

Indeed, during our testing the Kia actually indicated better efficiency than the battery size and range would suggest - however, this was unladen. Add in a few hundred kilos of payload and that would change a little. We’ll be able to test more definitively once we get our hands on a PV5 in the UK.

The PV5 can charge at up to 150kW, providing a sub-30 minute 10-80% charge time if you’re at a suitably powerful station.

Euro NCAP hasn’t tested the PV5 or its passenger-carrying equivalent just yet, but Kia’s actually anticipating a four-star verdict instead of the full five star-rating. While standard safety equipment is good, more sophisticated features such as a surround-view camera or rear-cross traffic alert are only on the top trim.

The roster of three airbags is less than some vans come with today, too.

Kia’s safety equipment at least operates sensibly - you can turn off the speed limit alert and lane-keeping aids with shortcuts on the steering wheel, and the driver monitoring system doesn’t throw up dozens of false positives as it does in some alternatives.

For security you get a standard alarm and immobiliser on all trims.

Kia’s reliability record is generally very good, though it’s perhaps not as experienced with the demanding world of commercial vehicle servicing and maintenance as a more established player such as Ford or Renault. Still, the PV5 is offered with the same outstanding seven-year/100,000-mile warranty as the rest of Kia’s range, meaning it’s beaten only by Toyota’s offering of up to ten years.

Service intervals are set at every two years or 20,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Being a brand-new van the PV5 is definitely too new to have any reliability data, but despite its bespoke nature it does share a lot of components with Kia’s electric passenger cars - and they have an excellent reputation for reliability, being very popular among taxi and private hire firms.