Kia PV5 Passenger has arrived in the UK

Описание: Should I change my Ioniq 5 for a Kia PV5 Passenger?



At the moment we have a first edition Ioniq 5 and a first edition Kia Soul EV (64). Both of those vehicles still run as though they were new. My wife is a careful driver of the Soul and at 100% battery it still shows 300 miles of range! There is no degradation at all of the battery capacity of either vehicle.

We are delighted with both vehicles and have taken both on long trips and camping. The Ioniq 5 has vehicle to load and this is really useful for camping.

The Kia Soul EV has a higher seating position and a better view of the road than the Ioniq.

This Ioniq 5 lacks the rear wiper. The cabin height is a little low for camping, and carrying large furniture.

The Kia Soul EV is ideal as the local commuting, shopping vehicle with the ability to do long trips if needed. We both find it much easier to get in and out of the Soul than the lower seat on the Ioniq, so this is the vehicle we would keep.

I have been waiting for a more practical vehicle with better space inside and access to carry larger items of furniture and DIY supplies.

We would also like more usable space for car camping, with enough height to sit up on a bed.

I would be good to have enough space inside to carry bee keeping equipment, 8 foot * 4ft sheets, 8 foot lengths of timber..


What are my essential requirements?

I want a fully electric vehicle, with vehicle to load.

I want enough space inside to carry bee keeping equipment, 8 foot * 4ft sheets, 8 foot lengths of timber, and the occasional large item of furniture.

I want enough space inside to make it comfortable to use for camping. As I said, that includes having enough height.

I want to be able to carry 4 passengers, each with a large rucsac, walking boots and poles.

I want excellent visibility of the road all round to safely drive on our narrow and twisty rural lanes, as well as for narrow and congested roads in towns and villages.

I want enough range in winter to cover most of our trips, starting with 80% and ending back home with more than 20% of charge. About once per month starting with 100% charge and ending back home with more than 10% of charge.

Just checking on Google maps I can get almost anywhere I might go on a day trip within 160 miles return. This might consist of half the journey on fast dual carriageway and the other half on slower rural roads.

On longer trips I would start from home with 100% state of charge, and stop for a break and charge after about 100 to 150 miles, so I can get to anywhere in Wales, to Birmingham, to Milton Keynes, to London with a single stop.


On our last trip from South Devon to the lake district, we charged at Gloucester services, Hilton Park, just north of Birmingham, and then Burton in Kendal. On longer trips I know we will stop every 90 minutes for a break and top up the charge while we stretch, have a drink or meal and visit the toilet. We have never had any problems finding a charge point.


Using Tesla chargers: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Jqpf13At3pan7...

It would be nice to have all wheel drive, and we have this on the Ioniq 5, but this isn't an option with the PV5.

It would be nice to have a head up display, both the Kia Soul and the Ioniq 5 have this, but I have found that using a couple of mobile phones works just as well and gives me a much better choice of what to display.

I don't need ultra fast acceleration, luxury surface coverings and all the bells and whistles.

I have test driven several large electric SUVs, but I really don't need the large bonnet (hood) blocking my view, and I don't need the much higher price tag or insurance costs.



Orders have opened for the Kia PV5 Passenger in the UK with the first deliveries expected in February 2026

I have done a careful analysis of whether to order one.

The price of the top of the range, long range version in red, with heat pump is under £40000 on the road!

A lot of information is coming from South Korea, where the first customers are taking delivery, and many video makers have had a chance to drive the vehicle.

So what have I found out from the Kia information and from South Korea?
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