Lee Min-hyung joined The Korea Times in 2014 and has worked as a journalist mainly in Korea’s finance, tech and automotive industry. He specializes in content creation, breaking news and in-depth analysis currently on transportation and mobility. You can reach him via mhlee@koreatimes.co.kr.
Kia EV3 selected 2025 World Car of the Year
Kia America Chief Operating Officer Steven Center poses with a trophy after the Kia EV3 was selected as the World Car of the Year during the 2025 World Car Awards in this handout photo released Sunday. Courtesy of Kia
By Lee Min-hyung
The Kia EV3 electric vehicle was selected as the World Car of the Year at the 2025 World Car Awards, marking the second consecutive year the carmaker has earned the prestigious title.
Kia said Sunday its EV3, an electric compact SUV, won the title at the car awards held during the New York International Auto Show last week.
The World Car Awards are widely seen as one of the world’s top three automotive awards along with the North American Car of the Year and the European Car of the Year. A panel of 96 automotive journalists from 30 countries, including Korea, the United States, Europe, China, Japan and India, evaluates and selects the winners in each category.
According to the World Car Awards, the Kia EV3 received 780 points overall to outpace two other top contenders — the Hyundai Casper Electric with 764 points and the BMW X3 with 754 points.
The Audi A5, the Ford Mustang, the Mini Cooper Electric, the Suzuki Swift, the Toyota Camry, the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Volkswagen Tiguan were also finalists.
Kia also claimed the top award at the World Car Awards last year for its large electric SUV, the EV9. It also marks the third time a Kia vehicle was selected as World Car of the Year, following the Telluride SUV’s win in 2020. The Telluride was also the first Korean vehicle to receive the award.
The Kia EV3 / Courtesy of Kia
Kia has won a total of six World Car Awards over the past six years, including the Soul EV, which was named World Urban Car of the Year in 2020, and the EV6 GT, which won World Performance Car of the Year in 2023.
“We are honored that the EV3 has been named World Car of the Year at the prestigious World Car Awards,” Kia CEO Song Ho-sung said. “This recognition highlights Kia’s global leadership in delivering sustainable mobility solutions through innovative technology and outstanding design. It also proves that the EV3 offers best-in-class value and is providing a new user experience to customers around the world.”
The Kia EV3 has also won car of the year awards in Denmark, Finland, Korea and the United Kingdom.