The Kia Niro EV was crowned overall winner of the Best Crossover in UK Car of the Year 2020 (UKCOTY 2020), the Kia XCeed followed closely behind in second while the All-New Soul EV landed the joint fourth place. Crossover cars have raised ground clearance, just like SUVs, for higher mobility and practicality in the European market.
The crossover category is one of the most competitive sectors, but the Niro EV stood at the top. It was also labeled as a “genuine game-changer” and “one of the most convincing EVs out there”. The panel of judges consists of 29 respected journalists in the automotive field in the U.K. After they choose 9 best models in each segment, they get to pick UK Car of the Year among the nine.
To qualify for an award, the car needs to have been launched on or after 1st January 2019, or be on sale by 31 December 2019. The awards will be decided based on an objective analysis of the cars in the shortlist. The categories include Small Hatch, Crossover, Performance, Luxury, etc. So one model could be in multiple categories.
However, each qualifying car will only appear in one category. For example, the Kia XCeed can also be considered as Coupe, SUV, or Hatchback, but it only participated as a Crossover. The winning car from each of the categories will go forward to contest the title of the UK Car of the Year 2020. There is no tie, so the panels should vote until the only one is left.
Nine models got an award in each category, from the eight automakers including Kia, Tesla, and Porsche. In addition, the nine cars will go on in the fight for the top spot as overall ‘UK Car of the Year 2020’, which will be revealed 28 February.
Alex Grant, UK Car of the Year Judge and a freelance journalist, commented: “The Niro EV combines one of the market’s best electric drivetrains with the impressive space-efficiency of Kia’s compact crossover". The specifications of the Kia Niro EV are; 150kW(204 hp) of total power, 395 Nm of torque, and 451L of cargo volume(VDA).
Grant also said, "it offers a long-range and impressive efficiency without adapting driving style, with spirited performance and fast charging, making it easier than ever to go electric”. Speaking of which, the Kia Niro EV houses 64 kWh battery - 455 kilometers of WLTP range, and it takes approximately 50 minutes to charge 80% of the batterty(with fast charger), thanks to the Heat Pump system for maximizing the battery efficiency. For your information, as of September 2018, consumers in Europe will benefit from more accurate information on vehicle fuel consumption and emissions thanks to the entry into force of a new standard testing procedure (the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure, or WLTP), developed and accepted by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).
This is not the first time that the Kia Niro EV won an award. After its debut in January 2019, multiple UK magazines such as 〈Autocar〉, 〈What Car〉, 〈Auto Express〉, 〈Car Buyer〉 have recognized its value.
The all-electric Kia Niro EV has been named a 'Game Changer' at the 2019 Autocar Awards. (Autocar is the very first auto magazine in the world, first published in 1895). The 'Game Changer' award is given to cars that bring new, higher standards to a hard-fought class, or for defying conventions to bring an unexpected benefit for buyers. Mark Tisshaw, Autocar Editor, commented: ‘The Niro EV is a battery-powered crossover that hits the sweet spot for range, performance, packaging, and price. It places Kia at the very top of the practical electric class'.
The Kia Niro EV also won Car of the Year 2019 by What Car and has been named 'Affordable Electric Car of the Year' at the Auto Express New Car Awards 2019. Also, it became the winner of the Carbuyer Best Car Awards 2020 for its cost-efficiency and great value.
The Kia Niro EV also won Car of the Year 2019 by What Car and has been named 'Affordable Electric Car of the Year' at the Auto Express New Car Awards 2019. Also, it became the winner of the Carbuyer Best Car Awards 2020 for its cost-efficiency and great value.
Of course, this is mainly because of what consumers in the U.K. think about green cars. Having one of the toughest eco-friendly legislations, the UK Parliament has passed the net-zero bill for 2050 to achieve a 'carbon neutral society'. They even think that the 'Road to Zero' ambition for a phase-out of petrol and diesel cars by 2040 is too late, so they plan to deliver it by 2035. The UK also has 18% of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the whole European continent. Kia sold 97,323 cars in the UK, and the 30%, 27,000 units, were eco-friendly cars housing electric powertrain.
The Kia e-Niro has been honored as the 'Best Electric Car' in the 2019 Global Mobi Awards. The Global Mobi Awards, held annually in Portugal, recognizes the leading names in the intelligent mobility sector. The panel of judges consists of journalists, mobility experts, and scholars.
According to the report by McKinsey, there will be around 400 EV models in the next five years, and electric vehicles will become the new normal by 2025. The Kia Niro EV is already proving its value in the Crossover market, and it showed the possibility of replacing internal combustion engines in that competitive segment.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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