Kia’s PV5 electric van has already spawned a dizzying array of variants as the brand attempts to rewrite the rulebook on traditional transport with its modular, purpose-built vehicle (PBV) platform. Al Suttie gets behind the wheel of the passenger-carrying MPV version to deliver his five definitive takeaways.

Kia PV5 Passenger Plus

List price (BIK): £39,410 (4%)  Economy: 256 miles  Test efficiency: 222 miles

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Takeaway One:

There are many things that surprise with the Kia PV5, but the sheer amount of space inside this people carrier is the overriding one. It shouldn’t be, given this is a big box on wheels, but every time you open the doors or hatch, you’re presented with masses of room. It’s backed up by the number of storage options inside the cabin, so you’re never short of somewhere to stash a water bottle, sunglasses or phone.

Takeaway Two:

Another pleasant revelation with the PV5, here in five-seat Passenger Plus trim, is how well it drives. Kia has long since sussed out how to make its cars ride and handle as well as its key rivals in any given class and the PV5 follows this path. Even so, for an MPV based on a van, it does a remarkable job of tamping down ridges and jitters in the road to leave its occupants cocooned in comfort.

Takeaway Three:

The functional style of the PV5’s interior, and especially the dash, is in keeping with its no-nonsense approach to practicality. However, there are some plastics in here that feel a little low-grade compared to what you’d find in an EV5 or Sportage. It’s most noticeable around the tall centre console stack, which has a large pull-out drawer at the bottom that just seems a bit cheap, though there’s no questioning its size and usability.

Takeaway Four:

Hop into the back seats of the PV5 and you get plenty of room on the broad, flat bench. There’s good vision for all and the sliding side windows are again in keeping with the solidly sensible nature of this car. The ‘but’ comes when you want to vary the load space, as the seats don’t slide and, when folded down, there is a large step in the load floor where the seats are fixed. Otherwise, the boot is big – and we mean big – with a low load sill and no side intrusion from the wheel arches.

Takeaway Five:

After a week of using the Kia PV5 over many miles and lots of different journeys, it simply worked without any effort from its driver or passengers. The battery size is fine for all the usual jaunts and commuting, and seemed unaffected when fully loaded with people. However, a bigger pack would elevate the PV5 from a very handy family bus for most needs to one you could head off on long holiday trips without a care in the world. Even so, that wouldn’t put us off recommending the PV5 without hesitation.