Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Kia's EV9 wins SUV of the Year award in North America
Seen is Kia’s electric SUV EV9. Hyundai Motor Group said Friday the EV9 was named the winner of the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year at the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year awards. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
By Baek Byung-yeul
Kia said its electric SUV EV9 was named the winner of the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year at the 2024 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards, being recognized for competitiveness in the U.S. and Canada, the company said Friday.
The company said the three-row SUV was named the winner in the utility vehicle of the year section at the NACTOY award ceremony held in Michigan, Thursday (local time).
With the award winning, Kia enjoyed the honor of winning the NACTOY award for three models over five years, following the Telluride SUV in 2020 and the EV6 in 2023.
Kia said the EV9’s winning the award proves the competitiveness of the E-GMP, Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated EV platform which is used to make both the EV6 and the EV9.
"Particularly, all of Kia's NACTOY award-winning models are SUVs, solidifying our status as a global powerhouse in the SUV market, which is continuously growing even in the U.S., the biggest battleground in the vehicle market," the company said.
With the EV9 winning the 2024 award, Korean vehicles have achieved a record of winning five times in the last six years. This is the eighth time a Korean vehicle has won the award as well.
The NACTOY awards are known as one of the most prestigious in the industry. The organizing committee of the NACTOY awards was established in 1994 and has been choosing the best vehicles released every year.
The organizer has been selecting the best vehicle in the car and truck categories, and started selecting SUVs as well in 2017. The juries consist of 50 independent experts working at automotive specialty magazines, broadcasters and newspapers in the U.S. and Canada.
Interestingly, the EV9 competed for the best SUV award with vehicles from its sister brands, as Genesis' Electrified GV70 and Hyundai Motor's Kona and Kona EV were also on the final list.
John Voelcker, one of the jurists, evaluated that the EV9 opened up new horizons in the three-row electric SUV segment with its affordable price and stylish look.
“The Kia EV9 offers a genuine 3-row configuration in a battery-electric SUV at a price significantly below the six-figure tab for all other 3-row electric SUVs. It opens new territory for EVs, and its looks draw attention well before anyone finds out it’s electric. And it’ll be built in the U.S. within a year. Another home run for Kia,” Voelcker commented.