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By Jonathan Crouch

Kia's PV5 Passenger aims to shake up the market for big five or seven-seat MPVs. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 49

It's about time a brand took a completely fresh look at the market for big van-derived five or seven-seat people carrying MPVs. Which is exactly what Kia has done with this all-electric PV5 Passenger model. Turns out that EVs of this sort can be cheaper, more spacious and cleverer.

Backgroundword count: 117

If you want big full-electric MPV with five or seven seats, you can either have something very van-like (most models in this segment are clearly LCV-derived). Or pay more for something quite avant-garde in the form of the Volkswagen ID.Buzz. But what if you could get a bit of both - and at a very affordable price? That's the thinking behind this car, Kia PV5 Passenger Sure (like the ID.Buzz) it shares its design with a van, but a very trendy-looking one, the PV5 Cargo. And it's been created in every way for passenger practicality. Mindful of the target audience, Kia even turned to Uber for help in its design. Sounds intriguing. Let's take a closer look.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 199

The PV5 Passenger sits on a 'commercialised' version of the E-GMP.S electric platform the Korean brand uses for its family EVs. Drive comes from a single front-mounted electric motor with 161bhp, but there's a choice of three battery packs. Things kick off with a small 43.3kWh unit offering up to 181 miles, for those needing only urban delivery mileage. Most sales will be generated by the mid-range 51.5kWh pack. And at the top of the line-up, there's a larger 71.2kWh pack capable of taking the PV5 up to 249 miles. Those mileage figures will be hard to replicate in colder winter months unless you pay more for the optional heat pump. The front wheel drive powertrain format enables a tight turning circle, giving greater manoeuvrability in confined spaces. And this vehicle comes with Kia's Plug & Charge app, which is designed to make finding charging points when you're out and about that much easier. It includes a route planner showing public chargers around the owner's home. Performance is adequate, the standard range 51.5kWh version making 62mph in 12.8s, a figure the long range 71.2kWh model improves to 10.7s. Maximum speed for both versions though, is limited to just 84mph.

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