Every year, the announcement of the winners of the World Car Awards is a momentous occasion, graced by representatives of nominated carmakers and members of the jury. This year, however, since the pandemic of covid-19 has sent panic across the world, the awards, originally scheduled to be announced at the now cancelled New York auto show, were declared online via a live stream.
Kia Motors Corporation won big at the 2020 edition of the awards with the Telluride named ‘World Car of the Year’ and the Soul EV ‘World Urban Car’. The Kia Telluride was rewarded by the judging panel for its distinctive design and impressive practicality. The World Car of the Year title represents another accolade for a vehicle that has garnered more than 70 awards since its introduction in 2019. The fully-electric Soul EV was named the ideal car for the city by the jury, combining zero-emission performance and impressive electric range with a compact body, bold design, and high levels of practicality.
Commenting on Kia bagging the prestigious awards, Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Head of Product Division at Kia Motors Corporation said,” Everyone at Kia is truly honored to receive not just one, but two awards from the World Car of the Year judging panel. This is one of the hardest-fought competitions in the global automotive industry, proving that the Telluride and Soul EV are both truly outstanding vehicles. These accolades are testament to the talents and efforts of a worldwide team, who all strive to create desirable, high-quality and practical cars that drivers love.”
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Available across North America and in many of Kia’s global markets, the Kia Telluride merges a strong exterior design presence with a spacious, practical and high-quality cabin, which can seat up to eight passengers. Equipped with an array of advanced technologies, all-wheel drive, and driver-assistance systems, the Telluride is ideal for family adventures on and off the beaten track.
The compact Kia Soul EV features a powerful battery-electric powertrain with a choice of 64 or 39.2 kWh battery packs. Able to travel up to 452 kilometers on a single charge (64 kWh models; WLTP ‘combined’ cycle), the Soul EV offers drivers greater all-electric range than many more expensive electric vehicles, making it the ideal companion, both in the urban environment and beyond city limits. A series of advanced range-increasing technologies, including regenerative braking, ensures drivers can maximize the distance on a single charge.
While Kia only entered the Indian market in 2019, it has managed to carve a special place for itself with the Seltos SUV selling in good numbers and becoming the highest selling SUV in India in the last fiscal year. While there is no confirmation on the Telluride, after bagging the ‘world best car’ award, Kia Motors India might contemplate on bringing it to India.