- The Kia PV5 Passenger model honored as BBC TopGear.com’s ‘Family Car of the Year’ for 2026
- First PBV model to be recognized in a major consumer vehicle category, building on Kia’s long-standing heritage in family-oriented mobility
- Outstanding space, practical versatility and refined efficiency set a new benchmark for modern family mobility
Kia today announced that the Kia PV5 Passenger has been honored as ‘Family Car of the Year’ at the 2026 BBC TopGear.com Awards, one of the world’s most influential automotive recognitions presented annually by BBC Top Gear. Hosted at London’s White City House, the awards celebrate the most innovative and impactful vehicles introduced each year across diverse segments.
BBC TopGear.com’s recognition underscores Kia’s growing strength in electrified mobility and builds on the brand’s recent success at the BBC TopGear.com Awards. The PV5 Passenger follows in the footsteps of Kia’s previous wins – being awarded as ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ in 2022 followed by a series of accolades for its EV models, the EV6 (2021), EV9 (2023) and EV3 (2024) – each celebrated for advancing practical, future-ready mobility. Building on its win as the ‘2026 International Van of the Year’, this latest award further demonstrates the PV5’s ability to resonate across both commercial and private-use segments.
Setting new expectations for electrified family mobility
This year’s result highlights how Kia’s PBV lineup is redefining what modern families can expect from an electric vehicle — delivering space, efficiency, flexibility and value in ways that establish a new benchmark for the segment.
“The PV5 Passenger represents a new chapter for accessible and practical electrified mobility in Europe. Its spacious design, modular versatility and refined driving experience show how PBVs can genuinely enhance everyday family life. This recognition from Top Gear validates our direction and strengthens our momentum as we expand Kia’s PBV lineup across the region.” – Marc Hedrich, President & CEO, Kia Europe
Why PV5 won: Outstanding space, refinement and value
“The PV5 offers an uncommon blend of generous space, refined comfort and impressive efficiency, all delivered with standout value. Its design is thoughtful, family-focused and executed with real clarity and purpose.” – Jack Scarlett, Contributor, BBC Top Gear, from the PV5 Review 2025
Top Gear editors highlighted the PV5 Passenger for its:
- Exceptionally spacious and versatile interior, delivering MPV-level practicality within a compact footprint
- Smooth, refined driving character, uncommon in vehicles of similar size or shape
- High efficiency and real-world drivability, supported by Kia’s PBV-dedicated platform
- Remarkable price to performance ratio, offering significantly greater value than key rivals
Together, these strengths position the PV5 as a compelling new option for families seeking practical and accessible electric mobility.
PV5: A new approach to family mobility
Built on Kia’s scalable Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) architecture, the PV5 introduces a new concept of modular, electrified mobility designed to adapt to a wide range of customer lifestyles.
Drawing on Kia’s heritage in family vehicles — from the practicality and everyday usability of the Bongo to the spaciousness and functionality of the Carnival — the PV5 carries this lineage forward with a future-oriented interpretation.
The PV5 Passenger variant is offered as a five-seat model, providing generous cabin and cargo space with the refinement expected from Kia’s latest EVs. Six- and seven-seat configurations will follow, expanding flexibility for families of different sizes and needs.
Key strengths that elevate PV5[1] as a family vehicle include:
- Adaptable space: Reclining and folding function applied to the second-row seats and multiple storage solutions — including a luggage tray, Kia AddGear accessory system, and roof-rack compatibility — support everything from daily errands to picnics and car-camping.
- Quiet, confident drive: A cabin praised as “quiet even by EV standards,” paired with advanced driver-assistance features such as forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist and parking collision-avoidance assist.
- Connected experience: A PBV-dedicated IVI system and App Market provide real-time navigation and a variety of downloadable apps, while interior and exterior V2L enables easy use of electronics outdoors or on the go.
Aligned with Kia’s long-term PBV strategy, the PV5 will be followed by larger models such as PV7 and PV9, contributing to Kia’s aim of selling 250,000 electric PBV units annually by 2030.
About the BBC TopGear.com Awards
Organized by BBC TopGear.com, one of the world’s most influential automotive media brands, the BBC TopGear.com Awards evaluate the year’s most exceptional vehicles across categories such as Performance Car of the Year, Manufacturer of the Year, Super GT of the Year, Design of the Year and Car of the Year. Winners are selected by the Top Gear editorial team based on innovation, engagement, value and real-world performance.
[1] Based on the European model. Specification may vary by market.
