Latest news with #WorldCaroftheYear
NZ Autocar
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
The June 2025 issue of NZ Autocar is now on sale
The June issue of NZ Autocar magazine is out now. Find it all good magazine outlets and supermarkets. Find out what we have in store for readers below. Subscribe to NZ Autocar to ensure you get the best automotive magazine delivered to your mailbox, while enjoying a discount on the cover price. We attend the big Shanghai Auto extravaganza to see what's in the pipeline for NZ. Racy is not how you'd describe your average Lexus. But now there's a hot-shot AWD compact Lexus crossover that's track-ready. Meet LBX Morizo RR. Kia has yet another new electric vehicle on sale in the form of the EV3. It's recently been crowned the World Car of the Year. So what's all the fuss about? The latest Audi is the new S5. It's the replacement for the old S4, which we quite liked. Is the new one better? The Volvo XC90 undergoes another revision as it enters its second decade. Is it still a viable option for those after a premium seven-seat SUV? Mini's first electric Cooper went well enough, but couldn't roam that far out of town. The new SE remedies that. The 911 rallies yet again in its 992.2 generation, adding electrification to its bag of tricks. Is the Carrera GTS still a divine choice? The Skoda Superb is somewhat of a novelty in 2025. It's one of the dwindling wagon choices in a sea of SUVs. Is the new one really superb? PHEVs are going gangbusters in some parts of the world where EV range is now well over 100km. How does Haval's first effort rate? The previous RS Q8 we drove was a wild thing, but this latest is even more epic, with added output and cornering prowess. Cupra is expanding in New Zealand and going more premium. Meet the entry-level Cupra, the Sportstourer V. The biggest BYD has joined the long-term fleet, and we outline what's in store for this plug-in ute. We take a little R&R in sunny Queensland, and find there a lot of Chinese cars in Australia too. TVR mashes together a mix of parts to deliver a sports car low in weight and heavy with power. The Chimaera, named after a mythical monster, is one of the more popular models here. We take a look at a nicely restored 5.0-litre version. Royal Enfield now has six machines powered by its 650cc parallel twin engine. The latest is this, the Bear 650, a scrambler.
NZ Autocar
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Kia EV3 wins another prestigious award
Kia's EV3 has another award, winning 'Best of the Best' at the 2025 Red Dot Award: Product Design in the Automobiles and Vehicles category. That comes just days after it nabbed the World Car of the Year for 2025. The new award would appear to be no fluke either for it follows the EV9's win in 2024 and the EV6's triumph in 2022. It is also recognition that Kia's new design direction is hitting its target. Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design commented: 'It is a tremendous honor to receive the 2025 Red Dot 'Best of the Best' design award for the Kia EV3, especially after the success of the EV9, winning the same award last year. 'The award is a reflection of the passion and dedication of Kia Design…to bring relevant and meaningful mobility solutions to our users' he added. 'Underpinned by our 'Opposites United' design philosophy, the EV3's combination of strong architectural graphics, with its faceted and folded surfaces, results in an emotional design derived from logic. Meantime, our material solutions ensure that our approach to mobility remains responsible. 'From the bold, progressive exterior aesthetics to the innovative living-space inspired interior, the Kia EV3 is a thoughtful product that we hope can make the lives of even more customers easier and better.' The Red Dot Award is an internationally recognised design competition that honors excellence in product design, communication, and design concepts. The 'Best of the Best' is the highest distinction and is awarded only to the most groundbreaking designs. Kia's win further highlights its design philosophy and innovation, strengthening its presence in the global automotive design landscape.
The Citizen
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
All-electric Kia EV3 garners ‘World Car of the Year' gong
Despite its latest accolade, the EV3 is not expected to debut in South Africa anytime soon unless government support for new energy vehicles emerges. EV3, for now, ranks below the EV5, EV6 and EV9 as Kia's smallest all-electric SUV/crossover. Image: Kia The results are in and in a live announcement of winners in six award categories at the New York International Auto Show last week, Kia's EV3 has been named as the '2025 World Car of the Year'. The EV3 was chosen from an initial list of 52 contenders, with a short list of the three finalists then being announced on March 18th. The other finalists were the BMW X3 and the Hyundai Inster. A jury consisting of 96 international automotive journalists from 30 countries around the world selected the 'Top Three in the World' for the title of 'World Car of the Year.' The finalists are determined by a secret ballot based on the journalists' evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their on-going professional work in the motoring media industry. Latest trophy in the cabinet This is the second consecutive World Car of the Year win for Kia and third World Car of the Year win overall. ALSO READ: Kia shrinks EV9 into new entry-level all-electric EV3 The EV9 won last year's top honour while the Telluride won the title in 2020. This win brings the total number of awards won by Kia to six in World Car's 21-year history. 'It is an immense honour for everyone at Kia that the EV3 has been awarded the 2025 World Car of the Year title. Interior has subtle differences from the EV5 and EV6. Image: Kia 'This award highlights Kia's global leadership in providing design-led, technologically advanced, sustainable mobility solutions and how the EV3's class-leading attributes redefine the user experience for customers worldwide,' said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia. Smallest EV The EV3 is positioned below the EV6 and EV9 in Kia's ever growing EV lineup and is the entry point into the battery electric vehicle or BEV segment of the brand. Rear-end styling borrows heavily from the EV5 and EV6. Image: Kia Built on Kia's Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the EV3 is said to boast 605 km of range with its extended 81.4-kWh battery option, while a standard 58.3-kWh variant is also available overseas. No-no for South Africa Unfortunately, without any assistance from government to promote the importing of electric vehicles into the country, the chances of seeing a EV3 on the road in South Africa is very slim despite it being a rival to the Volvo EX30 that is already here and Volkswagen ID.4. that is said to be coming here. NOW READ: Kia gives hint of first EV arrival in South Africa by teasing EV5
Korea Herald
20-04-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Kia wins World Car of the Year for 2nd consecutive year
Carmaker's EV3 electric compact comes out on top among 52 candidates Kia has once again claimed the automotive throne this year, winning top honors at the 2025 World Car Awards for the second year in a row. The Korean automaker's EV3, an electric compact sport utility vehicle, was named the World Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show last week. It received an overall score of 780 points to beat out the two other top contenders -- the Hyundai Casper Electric with 764 points and the BMW X3 with 754 points. According to the World Car Awards committee, a jury of 96 international automotive journalists from 30 countries selected the top three cars of the year worldwide by secret ballot based on their evaluations of each vehicle. The Kia EV3 was picked as the best vehicle of the year from a long list of 52 contending cars across the globe, which passed the eligibility hurdles that require production volume of at least 10,000 units per year, a price lower than the luxury car level in their primary markets, and availability in at least two major markets among China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America and the United States. Of the ten evaluation categories, the Kia EV3 scored the highest in efficiency, at 8.3 points, as the vehicle features up to 605 kilometers of driving distance per charge based on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure. 'It is an immense honor for everyone at Kia that the EV3 has been awarded the 2025 World Car of the Year title,' said Kia CEO Song Ho-sung. 'This award highlights Kia's global leadership in providing design-led, technologically advanced, sustainable mobility solutions and how the EV3's class-leading attributes redefine the user experience for customers worldwide.' At the World Car Awards last year, the top trophy went to Kia's EV9, an electric three-row SUV. With the latest triumph by the EV3, Kia has now won three top awards in the 21-year history of the World Car Awards, including World Car of the Year for the Kia Telluride in 2020. The Kia EV3 has also won car of the year awards in Denmark, Finland, Korea and the United Kingdom.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
2025 New York International Auto Show: Why these three cars could steal the show
2025 New York International Auto Show: Why these three cars could steal the show The 2025 New York International Auto Show is on the horizon. These brands and nameplates are expected to make the biggest splash. Show Caption Hide Caption Families look at the industry's newest vehicles at the 2025 Rochester Auto Show Celebrating almost 40 years, the Rochester Auto Show was recently hosted at the Floreano Convention Center in Downtown Rochester The 2025 New York International Auto Show begins on April 18, 2025. Major automakers will compete to win awards and host the best auto exhibitions. Some of the most important cars this year include two South Korean EVs and a German luxury SUV. Spring is in full swing and the 2025 New York International Auto Show is nearly upon us. This automotive exhibition is an opportunity for companies to show off their most impressive future offerings. Many automakers will use the Jacob Javits Convention Center as a stage to debut refreshed, redesigned, and brand new nameplates to the world. The auto show garners the attention of millions of auto enthusiasts worldwide and thousands of fans travel across the globe to witness the industry's coolest innovations. The 2025 New York International Auto Show has a special significance for consumers because distinguished jurors will award a special vehicle with the World Car of the Year title. Several other World Car winners will be announced in different categories, giving consumers insights into which nameplates are especially impressive. So, what are the most important nameplates to watch during and after the 2025 New York International Auto Show? Models from Hyundai Motor Co. could steal the show. One Mercedes-Benz small SUV is also getting plenty of attention. The Hyundai Inster: A world Car Award winner? If you're a fan of the electric vehicle space, you know that South Korean Hyundai Motor Co. has worked hard in the past half-decade to establish itself as one of the most important EV manufacturers. Nameplates like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and previous World Car of the Year winner, the Kia EV9, have pushed the envelope in more ways than one. Now, a Hyundai Motor Co. model in a completely different segment has the potential to go for the gold this year. The Hyundai Inster (AKA Casper Electric), is based on the Korean gas-powered Casper subcompact SUV. It's a tiny SUV that's only 150.6 inches long. Comparatively, the Chevrolet Trax American subcompact SUV is 178.6 inches long. So, the Inster is even tiny by subcompact SUV standards. It starts at around $21,000 in its home country of South Korea and goes for close to 23,495 euros ($26,719) in parts of Europe. Hyundai's tiny electric SUV is only available in Asia and Europe (thus far). It may not be a huge nameplate for America, but the Hyundai Inster/Casper Electric is one of the few nameplates nominated for multiple World Car awards, emphasis on "world." It's also in the running for World Electric Vehicle and World Urban Car. These nominations are often indicative of current sales numbers, popularity, and future potential. You may have no desire to buy, lease, or drive the Hyundai Inster, but it's good to know what's trending in the automotive world across oceans. The Kia EV3: A South Korean disruptor Hyundai Motor Co.'s Kia brand is producing a subcompact SUV that could be just as impactful as the Hyundai Inster for the American market. The Inster just isn't practical for most U.S. drivers because of its small stature, but the Kia EV3 is a slightly larger model (about 169 inches) that incorporates design elements from its South Korean cousin as well as the popular Kia EV6 small electric SUV. The Kia EV6, a close relative to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, is a sporty electric crossover that's affordable, quick, and stylish. Kia's EV3 model is slated for 2026, releasing in the subcompact electric SUV segment. It's a clear attempt to capture some of the Inster's magic and bring it to North America in a larger package. The EV3 is also one of the few vehicles nominated for multiple World Car awards, including Car of the Year, World Electric Car, and World Car Design of the Year. Since the bold EV9 was so captivating at last year's Auto Show, the EV3 is certainly a model worth watching. The BMW X3 is a consistent competitor in its segment If you aren't a fan of EVs, there are still plenty of models worth paying attention to at the 2025 New York International Auto Show. While electric vehicles may be all the buzz at recent shows, there will be multiple exciting nameplates on display that appeal to the average gearhead who wants nothing to do with an EV. Another World Car of the Year Award nominee and vehicle to watch is a model from BMW. The BMW X3 is a small luxury SUV known for its power, lavish interior, and many standard features. The fully redesigned fourth-generation compact luxury SUV is the German automaker's best-selling vehicle in the U.S market. It boasts a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine and rockets from 0-60 miles per hour in about 6.0 seconds. The X3 offers modern design perks and tech without deviating too far from BMW's winning formula for its American portfolio. Whether you're a fan of electric vehicles or refuse to ever drive one, there's something for you at the 2025 New York International Auto Show. It's an awesome place for automakers, automotive professionals, brands, and consumers to come together and nerd out about the vehicles that power an industry and get us where we need to go. Charles Singh reports for The Tennessean.
