Hyundai's IONIQ 5, Kia's EV6 most competitive in Germany

Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 electric vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

By Baek Byung-yeul

Hyundai Motor Group's two electric vehicles (EVs) ― Hyundai Motor's IONIQ 5 and Kia's EV6 ― have been recognized as the most competitive EVs in Germany, raising expectations that their expansion in the European market will gain momentum, the automotive group said, Sunday.

The group said the IONIQ 5 and the EV6 ranked first and second in the recent comparative evaluation of electric SUVs conducted by the German-based car magazine, Auto Zeitung.

In the comparative evaluation of five electric SUVs by the magazine, the IONIQ 5 topped the list with a total of 3,222 points and the EV6 ranked second with 3,178 points. They were followed by the Polestar 2, Tesla's Model Y and Mercedes-Benz's EQB.

The evaluation was conducted based on five evaluation points: the body, driving comfort, powertrain, driving dynamic and environment/cost. The IONIQ 5 received the highest score in the driving comfort sector and the second-highest in the driving dynamic and the environment/cost sectors.

Hyundai Motor Group said that the magazine had evaluated the IONIC 5 as showing “overall harmony by applying the automotive group's electric vehicle-only platform, E-GMP. “The car has the highest driving stability, economic feasibility and even provides fun driving, making it to the top in the SUV electric vehicle sector with the top classes,” the magazine was quoted as stating by Hyundai.

Kia's EV6 electric vehicle / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group

Kia's EV6 placed first in the environment/cost sector. Auto Zeitung said the EV6 is “a consumer-friendly vehicle,” adding that its 800-volt high-speed charging system has the best charging performance, as the car can charge batteries from 10 to 80 percent within 20 minutes.

“Auto Zeitung is one of the three major automobile magazines in Germany, the home of automobiles, and is highly trusted by European consumers as well as Germans, and (its evaluation) is an important criterion for vehicle purchases,” a spokesman of the automotive group said.

Hyundai and Kia's two EVs have received favorable reviews in the European market several times.

The IONIQ 5 ranked first in the EV category of the Best Import Cars of the Year by German car magazine Auto Bild in January. The car also became the winner of the 2022 German Car of The Year in November 2021.

The EV6 also won Car of the Year and Electric SUV of the Year at the 2022 What Car? Car of the Year Awards in the U.K. in January.