byMark Lincoln/19 January 2026/inElectric Vehicle News, Kia News

News of the Kia PV5 van in New Zealand

We’re excited to see the first official news of the Kia PV5 van in New Zealand.

Kia New Zealand’s team have shared an international press release, while also updating their local website with preliminary specifications.

The four-door Kia PV5 Cargo has been featured, along with two variations of standard or high roof.

While the details and imagery provided here are based on overseas models, and all specifications are subject to change, it’s exciting to receive this early notice.

A multi-award winning van

The press release highlights a number of awards for the Kia PV5. Awards include:

Van of the Year – Electrifying.com Awards 2026
Van of the Year & Compact Van of the Year – What Van? Awards 2026
Van of the Year & Best Electric Van – Parkers Van & Pickup Awards 2026
Van of the Year – News UK Motor Awards 2025
International Van of the Year 2026 – IVOTY Awards
Best of the Best – Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2025 (PV5 WKNDR Concept)

We can’t wait to see the new Kia PV5 arrive in New Zealand in 2026. For those keen to stay abreast of updates, be sure to sign-up to emails from Miles Kia or contact the Miles Kia team.

Abridged international press release provided by Kia NZ on 19 Dec 2025:

Kia PV5 Earns Global Recognition Across Performance, Safety, Design and Innovation in 2025

PV5 Cargo named multiple ‘Van of the Year’ titles by Electrifying.com, Parkers and News UK
Comprehensive wins across technological innovation, safety, design, family usability and long-distance capability underscore Kia PBV’s strength in the global LCV market
Awards validate Kia’s customer-driven PBV strategy, backed by modular design, practical engineering and the brand’s long-standing heritage

The Kia PV5, the brand’s first all-electric platform beyond vehicle (PBV), is achieving one of the most extensive global award records for a first-generation model — demonstrating that Kia PBV has secured meaningful competitiveness in the traditional light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment from its very first year on the market.

Since its global debut, the PV5 has swept major international awards across safety, performance, design, family usability and real-world capability. This cross-category recognition not only validates the PV5’s product excellence but also confirms that Kia’s PBV strategy—rooted in customer insight, practical usability and decades of commercial-vehicle experience from the Bongo lineage—is resonating strongly with the global market.

“The momentum behind the PV5 reflects Kia’s long-term commitment to redefining purpose-built mobility. By combining customer insight with modular design, electrification and a scalable PBV ecosystem, we aim to accelerate innovation across global markets and expand Kia’s role beyond vehicle manufacturing into mobility solutions that create lasting value for businesses, cities and individuals.” – Sangdae Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of PBV Business Division, Kia Corporation.

Strong Europe Momentum: Major LCV Media Agree on PV5’s Leadership

Europe has become a decisive proving ground for the PV5’s global competitiveness. Across the region’s leading commercial-vehicle authorities, the PV5 has secured multiple “Van of the Year” titles, with consistent commentary that it sets a new benchmark for electric van practicality, refinement and value.

Most recently, at the 2026 Electrifying.com Awards, the PV5 Cargo was named ‘Van of the Year’, while Kia received ‘EV Brand of the Year’. Judges highlighted the PV5’s modular PBV platform, ease of conversion, balanced EV drivability and operator-focused functionality. Kia’s inclusive mobility approach—including the integration of wheelchair-accessible design from launch—was also recognised as a meaningful differentiator in the commercial EV market.

In December, the PV5 Cargo earned both ‘Van of the Year’ and ‘Compact Van of the Year’ at the What Van? Awards 2026, reflecting high scores for its quiet and refined EV driving experience, exceptional value, urban maneuverability, modular flexibility and real-world usability.

Earlier in November, What Van? published a full review of the PV5, awarding it a perfect 10/10 rating—the only electric LCV to receive such a score in the publication’s 2025 evaluations.

The PV5’s momentum continued at the Parkers Van & Pickup Awards 2026, where it won ‘Van of the Year’ and ‘Best Electric Van’. Parkers described the PV5 as “a first effort that has shaken the industry,” commending its practical engineering, thoughtful packaging and competitive pricing. This was followed by the News UK Motor Awards 2025, where The Sun named the PV5 ‘Van of the Year’, signalling a breakthrough in mainstream consumer recognition and underscoring the vehicle’s broad appeal.

Together, these accolades establish the PV5 as one of the most comprehensively recognised electric vans in the UK, reaffirming its position as a new benchmark in the LCV segment.

A Starting Point for Kia’s PBV Journey

The PV5 represents the beginning of Kia’s long-term plan to build a full PBV ecosystem. In the coming years, Kia will broaden the PV5 lineup with new derivatives while introducing larger PBV models such as the PV7 and PV9. The company will also expand its PBV presence across global markets including the Middle East, Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region. As software-defined mobility evolves, the PV5 platform will integrate new connected services, digital applications and mobility-enhancement features that unlock additional customer value.

With this foundation, Kia aims to accelerate the transition toward more flexible, efficient and accessible purpose-built mobility—positioning the PV5 not only as an award-winning vehicle, but as the first step in a transformative mobility strategy.

Learn more about the Kia PV5.

Please note this is an international release from Kia Head Office, information contained relates to overseas models and local specification may vary.