Kia Adds Elite Trim to Award-Winning PV5 Passenger Van

Kia has expanded its all-electric PV5 Passenger lineup with the introduction of a new seven-seat variant and a higher-spec Elite trim, broadening the appeal of its Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) strategy. The updates arrive as part of the 2027 model year refresh and are designed to improve flexibility, comfort, and practicality for both family buyers and commercial transportation operators.

The additions strengthen Kia’s push into the growing electric people-mover market while supporting applications ranging from private ownership to ride-hailing, airport shuttles, and fleet services.

Kia adds seven-seat PV5 and new Elite trim

The headline addition is the new PV5 Passenger 7-seat, which introduces a three-row 2-2-3 seating layout while maintaining the flexible interior packaging enabled by Kia’s dedicated E-GMP.S platform.

The seven-seat model offers more than 390 kilometers of WLTP-rated driving range and is exclusively paired with Kia’s larger 71.2-kWh battery pack in the UK market. DC fast charging reaches up to 150 kW, allowing the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in less than 30 minutes, according to a press release.

Kia said the flat-floor architecture helps deliver class-leading passenger accommodations, including up to 1,041 mm of legroom and 1,076 mm of headroom. Cargo capacity reaches 318 liters with all seats in use and expands to 785 liters when the third row is folded.

Alongside the new seating configuration, Kia introduced an Elite trim level positioned above the existing Essential and Plus grades. The Elite package adds electric sliding doors, ventilated front seats, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitoring displays, premium upholstery, and upgraded exterior finishes.

The company also rolled out several model-year 2027 enhancements across the lineup, including walk-away locking functionality, a redesigned antenna, and an adjustable driver armrest.

PV5 plays central role in Kia’s broader PBV strategy

The PV5 is one of the first vehicles developed specifically for Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle initiative, which combines electrification, software connectivity, and modular vehicle architectures.

The Passenger model features a 12.9-inch infotainment display, over-the-air update capability, fleet-management integration, and access to Kia’s growing in-vehicle app ecosystem. Plus and Elite trims also receive Vehicle-to-Load functionality, allowing the EV to power external devices directly from the battery.

UK pricing begins at £33,195 for the five-seat Essential Standard Range model before government incentives. The new seven-seat lineup starts at £36,995, while the range-topping Elite seven-seat variant carries a starting price of £41,975.

The PV5 has already earned industry recognition, including International Van of the Year 2026 and TopGear.com’s Family Car of the Year award. Looking ahead, Kia plans to expand its PBV portfolio further with the larger PV7 in 2027 and PV9 in 2029 as it builds a lineup of highly customizable electric mobility solutions.

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