The Korean Automobile Journalists Association has selected Hyundai’s All-New Kona Electric as the Car of the Month for May 2023.
This month’s vehicle choice is announced after evaluating new and partially modified models released between the 1st and the end of the previous month. The evaluation consists of five categories: interior and exterior design and emotional quality, safety and convenience features, power performance, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, and marketability and purchase intentions.
Among the new vehicles launched last month, the Ford Ranger Raptor, Hyundai’s All-New Kona Electric, and Honda’s All-New CR-V Turbo (in alphabetical order) were candidates for May’s Car of the Month. After intense competition, the All-New Kona Electric was ultimately selected with a score of 32 points out of a possible 50.
The All-New Kona Electric received an impressive score of 8 out of 10 for its energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions categories, along with 6.3 points for both safety and convenience features and power performance.
Chairperson Jeong Ji-yeon stated, “With purchase subsidies, the All-New Kona Electric can be bought for around 30 million KRW, making it a key model leading the expansion of Hyundai’s electric vehicle sales based on its reasonable price and excellent marketability.” She continued, “It features wireless software updates to always keep the vehicle up to date, a next-generation infotainment system, and e-Hanpass that allows payments linked with CarPay, equipping it with several key safety features for convenient and safe driving.”
Since 2019, the Korean Automobile Journalists Association has been selecting and announcing the Car of the Month, and last month, the Chevrolet Trax crossover received this distinguished honor.
The association releases the Car of the Month results through its official website. Vehicles selected as the Car of the Month receive a free pass to move directly to the first round of final evaluations, bypassing the mid-year and end-of-year evaluations.
Meanwhile, the Korea Automobile Journalists Association comprises 55 media outlets, including major daily newspapers, broadcasting corporations, communications companies, online platforms, and automotive magazines, with around 200 journalists representing its member organizations.
The Korea Automobile Journalists Association was established in August 2010 with the purpose of enhancing the quality of automobile journalism, promoting a proper automotive culture, improving the capabilities of automotive journalists, and fostering interaction among its members.
Every year, the association selects and announces the best vehicles in South Korea as part of the ‘Car of the Year (COTY)’ award process, discussing current automotive issues and seeking alternatives through various events such as symposiums and seminars.
Lee Sang-jin [daedusj@autodiary.kr]