Kia was named ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at the ‘2023 Autocar Awards’, organized by the British automotive magazine Autocar, on the 25th (local time).
Autocar, which was first published in 1895, is the world’s oldest automotive magazine and possesses global influence through its online and international editions, reaching audiences beyond just English-speaking readers.
Every year, Autocar awards products, individuals, and manufacturers that achieve remarkable successes in the global automotive industry; last year, Kia’s first dedicated electric vehicle, the EV6, was honored as ‘Best Electric Car’.
Mark Tisshaw, the editor of Autocar, stated that Kia, this year’s best manufacturer, received praise for its vehicle lineup, which includes the near-new EV6 and Sorento, along with the visually confident Niro and Sportage.
Kia sold a total of 100,191 units in the UK market in 2022, surpassing the annual sales of 100,000 vehicles for the first time in 32 years since its entry into the market. In January last year, Kia also recorded 10,504 vehicles sold, achieving the highest monthly sales among all brands in the UK for the first time.
Paul Philpott, President of Kia UK, noted that “the efforts and dedication of all employees, along with confidence in our vehicle lineup, made the 100,000 sales possible” and added, “This year, Kia will continue to challenge itself to lead the electric vehicle transition in the UK market with the launch of the EV9.”
Kia’s plans include building a full lineup of 15 electric vehicles by 2027 and selling 1.6 million electric vehicles by 2030, aiming to establish itself as a leading electrification brand backed by its technological capabilities and product excellence.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr