Hyundai's Ioniq 9, Kia's EV3 named best models at Top Gear awards

SEOUL, May 9 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co.'s Ioniq 9 and Kia Corp.'s EV3 have been named the best models in their respective categories at this year's TopGear.com Electric Awards, Hyundai Motor Group said Friday.

With the latest recognition, the South Korean automotive group has received awards for five Hyundai vehicles and two Kia models since 2020, when the awards were first established.

The flagship Ioniq 9 sport utility vehicle (SUV) was named the best model in the seven-seat category, the group said in a press release, adding the vehicle is equipped with a 110.3 kWh battery and can travel up to 532 kilometers on a single charge.

"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," Top Gear Editor-in-Chief Jack Rix said in the release.

The EV3, offering a range of up to 605 km per charge, the longest range of any Kia electric model, was the named the best model in the crossover category.

"The EV3 is not only the UK's best-selling EV to retail customers so far this year, but has also earned both UK and World Car of the Year awards," Paul Philpott, president of Kia UK Ltd., said.

Other awarded models include Hyundai's Kona Electric, Ioniq 5 and Retro Grandeur EV concept, as well as Kia's EV9.

Hyundai and Kia together form the world's third-largest automotive group by vehicle sales, following Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen Group.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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