Double award triumph for Kia EV9
The new Kia EV9 has scooped two car of the year titles in the same week.
The seven-seat EV has been named UK Car of the Year 2024 and Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year 2024 by two panels of judges.
The large seven-seat SUV is the latest in a line of impressive EVs from the Korean brand and propels it into new territory competing with premium brands. Judges from both panels praised its cutting-edge design, spacious and practical interior and advanced technology including bidirectional charging and ultra-fast charging.
Announcing the victor on International Women’s Day, Marta Garcia, executive president of WWCOTY, said: “This year’s election was particularly difficult due to the excellent level of all the candidates. Each of the finalists had sufficient merit to win the trophy. The Kia EV9 has won out over its rivals because it is a vehicle capable of satisfying the needs of consumers everywhere.”
John Challen, co-chairman of the UK Car of the Year Awards, added “The uber-practical Kia EV9 could be the vehicle that gets more drivers out of their petrol or diesel car than any other model. Seven seats, loaded with technology, premium quality and enough miles from the battery to cure almost every case of range anxiety – plus it’s fantastic to drive, too.
“The fact that nearly half of our judging panel chose the Kia as the UK Car of the Year 2024 is a massive vote of confidence in what is a seriously impressive and hugely appealing car.”
The UK’s panel of 30 judges also selected the EV9 as their Large Crossover of the year.
In the WWCOTY voting, 75 judges from 52 countries picked the Kia ahead of the Volvo EX30, BMW Series 5, Volkswagen Amarok and Aston Martin DB12.
UK WWCOTY judge Maxine Ashford of carjourno.com said: “The EV9 is a game-changer for Kia. It’s very easy on the eye, practical, packed with technology, dynamic to drive and also boasts a very decent driving range between chargers.
“But, it’s the premium quality within the cabin that provided the wow factor for me and elevates this manufacturer to a whole new level.”
