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Kia e-Niro named Car of the Year at 2019 What Car? Awards

Kia’s e-Niro electric crossover has taken the ‘Car of the Year’ title at the 2019 What Car? Car of the Year Awards.

The e-Niro has taken the ‘Car of the Year’ title at the 2019 What Car? Awards

Billed by What Car? as the “first sensibly priced electric car that can fit into most people’s lives”, the e-Niro – which offers a 282-mile range – was named the ‘Electric Car of the Year’ and fended off 21 other category winners to take the overall title. It also marked the first time Kia has won the main award.

The What Car? judging panel said: “Uncompromised electric car ownership has, so far, been the privilege of those able to afford a Tesla, which is why the e-Niro is such a game-changer.

“While the Renault Zoe deserves credit for offering a decent range for less than £20k, and the I-Pace for giving Tesla buyers a better option, we think Kia’s success in making a long-range electric car that’s within the reach of many deserves the most credit.

“The winds of change blow fiercely in the land of electric cars, so we can’t say how long Kia will be on top. But right now, that’s exactly where it sits.’

Commenting on the award, Paul Philpott, president and CEO of Kia Motors UK, said: “It’s a great honour to win the top prize at this year’s What Car? Awards, which are so highly regarded in the industry and by customers. This is an important moment for Kia in the UK as this is an accumulation of years of growth and development with the e-Niro perfectly encompassing the future of our brand. The e-Niro will be available across our 192-strong dealer network who are excited to show off the car’s class-leading capabilities.”

Full list of 2019 What Car? Award winners:

City Car – Kia Picanto

Small car – Volkswagen Polo

Family car – Skoda Octavia

Small SUV – Seat Arona

Family SUV – Volvo XC40

Large SUV – Peugeot 5008

Luxury SUV – Audi Q7

Sports SUV – Cupra Ateca 300

MPV – Citroën Berlingo

Estate car – Skoda Superb Estate

Hot hatch – Honda Civic Type R

Convertible – Mercedes Benz S-Class Cabriolet

Coupé – Audi A5 Coupé

Sports car – Alpine A110

Performance car – Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

Electric car – Kia e-Niro

Hybrid car – Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid

Plug-in hybrid – Volvo XC90 T8

Executive car – BMW 3 Series

Luxury car – BMW 5 Series

Pick-up – Volkswagen Amarok

Reader award – Honda Urban EV Concept

Safety award – Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Technology award – Hyundai electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology

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Natalie Middleton

Natalie has worked as a fleet journalist for over 20 years, previously as assistant editor on the former Company Car magazine before joining Fleet World in 2006. Prior to this, she worked on a range of B2B titles, including Insurance Age and Insurance Day.