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.
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