The all-new zero emissions Kia e-Niro has become the first ever Korean car to win the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year award. The Kia e-Niro beat 23 other category winners to take the overall title, becoming the first electric car to win the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Award.
The e-Niro with class leading 282-mile range also picked up ‘Electric Car of the Year’ at the awards. The success for an electric car comes at the beginning of a big year for the EV market, with several major manufacturers, including Audi, Honda and Mercedes-Benz, all planning to launch new electric models in 2019.
The Kia e-Niro has been designed to merge crossover-inspired design with long range, zero-emissions driving and enjoyable performance. It achieves this with a next-generation electric powertrain, using new production technologies developed specifically for Kia electric vehicles. A single high-specification, feature-rich ‘First Edition’ model will be on sale from all 192 Kia dealerships in the UK from 1 April 2019.
The What Car? judging panel said ‘Uncompromised electric car ownership has, so far, been the privilege of those able to afford a Tesla, which is why the e-Niro is such a game-changer. While the Renault Zoe deserves credit for offering a decent range for less than £20k, and the I-Pace for giving Tesla buyers a better option, we think Kia’s success in making a long-range electric car that’s within the reach of many deserves the most credit. The winds of change blow fiercely in the land of electric cars, so we can’t say how long Kia will be on top. But right now, that’s exactly where it sits.’
Commenting on an extraordinary evening for Kia, Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, said ‘It’s a great honour to win the top prize at this year’s What Car? Awards, which are so highly regarded in the industry and by customers. This is an important moment for Kia in the UK as this is an accumulation of years of growth and development with the e-Niro perfectly encompassing the future of our brand. The e-Niro will be available across our 192-strong dealer network who are excited to show off the car’s class leading capabilities.
Read more information on the overall 2019 What Car? Car of the Year and the full list of award winners.
