Kia named Best Manufacturer at 2023 Autocar Awards
Kia has been named as the Best Manufacturer at the 2023 Autocar Awards. The latest award win for Kia follows the brand's record-breaking sales figures in 2022 and strong start to 2023.
The Autocar Awards celebrate the best of the automotive world, as well as recognising individual excellence throughout the industry. The unique ceremony took place at the iconic Silverstone racing circuit.
Mark Tisshaw is the Editor of Autocar and he had nothing but glowing praise for the Korean brand. “What a transformation Kia has been through,” he commented. “Very few brands of Kia's size can boast product lines half as up-to-date. Both the totemic EV6 and Sorento family SUV were launched in 2021, and still feel box-fresh.
“The sheer confidence exuded by the design of the Niro and Sportage was what really impressed and made it so obvious that this year's Best Manufacturer award could go nowhere else.”
Kia's diverse range of vehicles have had a confident start to 2023, with the Sportage and all-new Niro continuing to cement themselves as class leaders. The two models were Kia's best-selling models in 2022 and are now among the best-selling models in the UK overall.
Both the Sportage and Niro offer a wide range of powertrain options. The Sportage is available as a petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, full hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The Niro family is made up of the Niro Hybrid, Niro PHEV and Niro EV.
Paul Philpott is the President and CEO of Kia UK. He added: “The past year has been fantastic for Kia. Record sales in excess of 100,000 in 2022 meant we entered the year with full confidence in our model line-up, with each vehicle appealing to different customers.
“Everybody at Kia and throughout our nationwide dealer network is fully committed to ensuring we maintain this impressive trajectory, and I am thankful for the hard work and dedication shown by the entire Kia team.
“The next 12 months will be equally exciting for Kia as we welcome the EV9 and continue our journey to becoming a leader in electrification.”
The brand-new Kia EV9 was recently unveiled at the New York Motor Show and is scheduled to go on sale in the UK in the second half of 2023. It is Kia's largest electric vehicle to date, the first one to accommodate up to seven people, and has a driving range of up to 336 miles.
Until then, you can click here to find all out about the EV9 or explore the other exciting vehicles in Kia's electric range.
The brand's long-term plan is to introduce a line-up of 15 fully electric Kia models internationally by 2027 and aims to further strengthen its position as a leading brand in the global EV market. The EV9, like the EV6 and the Niro EV, is developed on the company's Electric Global Modular Platform and will usher in a new era of sophisticated, hi-tech, sustainable driving.
