After making its debut in the five-meter class, Kia won over the 27-member jury of the ‘German Car of the Year 2024’ (GCOTY) award. The three-row Kia EV9 electric SUV, has been selected within the “Luxury” category for the German Car of the Year 2024 competition, encompassing all models with a base price exceeding 70,000 Euro. The Kia EV9 emerged as the victorious choice against eight other competing models in its category.
The Kia EV9 has become the second model to join Kia’s dedicated battery-electric vehicle lineup, following the successful path of the multi-award-winning EV6, which earned the title of European Car of the Year in 2022. Since July, the Kia EV9 has been open for orders in Europe, with the first units scheduled for delivery to European customers later this year.
“As Kia’s new flagship, the EV9 plays a pivotal role in transforming our brand into a leading EV provider. With its extraordinarily variable and spacious interior, striking design, and ultra-fast charging technology, it sets new standards in the SUV segment,” said Won-Jeong Jeong, President of Kia Europe. “We are very proud that the EV9 was named ‘German Luxury Car of the Year’ even before it is launched, as it is a strong signal that the Kia brand and its electrification strategy are recognized and awarded by German industry experts.”
In this year’s GCOTY competition, which marks its sixth edition, a panel of 27 trade journalists tested and evaluated a comprehensive lineup of 48 new models. The competition is structured into five distinctive categories: ‘Compact,’ ‘Premium,’ ‘Luxury,’ ‘New Energy,’ and ‘Performance.’ Currently, the panel is poised to select the overall winner from the five best-in-class, with the announcement slated for the beginning of October.
