Kia named Top Gear manufacturer of the year
by CM staff
This is the second consecutive year that Kia has won a Top Gear award.
Photo: Kia.
SEOUL — Kia was named manufacturer of the year at the 2022 TopGear.com awards. This is the second consecutive year that Kia has won a Top Gear award; last year, the newly launched EV6 won the crossover of the year category.
“Kia’s recent form is remarkable. Despite unprecedented headwinds, the upward trajectory shows no sign of slowing down,” said Jack Rix, editor, BBC Top Gear Magazine. “In fact, it’s getting braver. The latest Sportage is a superior family crossover in comparison to its closest competitors, the new Niro looks striking, and offers hybrid or electric versions and Kia seems to be landing on its feet when it comes to the transition to fully electric. The EV6 GT offers a 577bhp version with mind-blowing drift mode.”
Kia launched several models in Europe this year – including the fifth generation Sportage and Niro, two of Kia’s best-sellers across Europe. Both models offered an update over their predecessors in several areas, including exterior and interior design, technological advancements, and sustainability credentials.
“This has been an outstanding year for Kia in terms of new product, brand awareness and sales. Our year-to-date market share across Europe has held strong at 5.1 per cent over the past two months, and that success is due to our incredible electrified line-up,” said Jason Jeong, president, Kia Europe. “As we expand our electrified offering throughout 2023 and beyond, we hope to inspire more customers to make the switch and support a sustainable future for all.”
The company’s ‘Plan S’ strategy outlines its sustainability targets, including a line-up of 14 fully electric models by 2027. The next model to launch will be Kia’s EV9, which will be revealed to the European market in 2023.
