Seoul: Hyundai Motor Co.'s Ioniq 9 and Kia Corp.'s EV3 have been acclaimed as the best models in their respective categories at this year's TopGear.com Electric Awards, Hyundai Motor Group announced.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean automotive group has received accolades for five Hyundai vehicles and two Kia models since the inception of these awards in 2020. The flagship Ioniq 9 SUV was distinguished as the best model in the seven-seat category. The press release highlighted that the vehicle comes with a 110.3 kWh battery, facilitating a travel distance of up to 532 kilometers on a single charge.
Top Gear Editor-in-Chief Jack Rix commented on the Ioniq 9, stating, "Hyundai's Ioniq 9 is both accomplished and clever. Its people-carrying, quasi-minibus remit means its design is less 'out there' than the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, but the result is still cool."
Meanwhile, Kia's EV3, which offers a range of up to 605 km per charge-the longest range of any Kia electric model-was named the best model in the crossover category. Paul Philpott, president of Kia UK Ltd., remarked that the EV3 has not only become the UK's best-selling EV to retail customers this year but has also won both UK and World Car of the Year awards.
Other models recognized at the awards included Hyundai's Kona Electric, Ioniq 5, and Retro Grandeur EV concept, alongside Kia's EV9. Hyundai and Kia collectively make up the world's third-largest automotive group by vehicle sales, trailing only Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen Group.