Kia Corp is well on its way to make more noise with its upcoming electric vehicle lineup. With seven more all-electric vehicles set to launch by 2027, the automaker has already started off with the EV6, the first all-electric dedicated vehicle to be added to the collection. What we mean by that is, the EV6 never had an internal combustion engine predecessor, it started as an electric and will end as an electric. However, over the last twelve months, Kia Corp has released more than just the EV6 – the brand-new Kia Carnival comes to mind, as well as the refreshed Kia Sorento, redesigned Kia K5, and that fancy Kia Seltos that surprisingly went global. All of these, plus the overseas Picanto, and there are plenty of award shows that want to put the spotlight on Kia. All of these vehicles won awards during the 2021 Russian Car of the Year annual Awards Ceremony for their respective classes.
“We are extremely proud that this year Kia has won a record number of awards at the Russian Car of the – one of the most important automotive competitions. Our models became the best in five classes. However the title of “Favorite brand in mass segment” is an exceptional honor for us. It has remained an emotional target for us over a dozen years, being a symbol of recognition and trust of Russian consumers. We appreciate a lot the success we have achieved in Russia. The requirements for a car among Russian car owners are much stronger than in other markets due to difficult road climate conditions and people’s expectations that the car will become a reliable assistant for all occasions. For us, this success means that for millions of customers in Russia, Kia cars meet all requirements and provide excellent customer experience for their owners. Eventually, this is the goal of all our work”. – commented Alexander Migal, Managing Director of Kia Russia & CIS
It may not be expected, but Kia Corp is surprisingly popular in Russia. In fact, it’s been Russia’s best-selling foreign brand for the last seven years. For three years in a row, over 200,000 units were sold each year. So, it shouldn’t come as surprising that multiple Kia models won awards in their respective categories. Starting with the new Kia Carnival MPV, it should be called the MVP, being the latest addition to the lineup, meshing crossovers and vans together. It’s the best of both worlds, and thankfully not another SUV – the industry has enough of those.
The fourth generation of the Kia Sorento has been updated and continues to be the flagship model of the lineup. This year (2021), in April, the Sorento had its best sales ever in the Russian market, earning it the “The Russian best midsize SUV” title in an already competitive vehicle class. Although the K5 is a new name, it inherits the fame of the Optima, its original roots, and entered the Top-3 of Kia models in Russia while oddly enough winning the “Business class” category.
We weren’t sure if the Kia Seltos would make it stateside, originally released in India, but we’re glad this hatchback of sorts was released on a global scale. Earning a victory in the “Compact SUV” category, the Seltos dashed expectations and was very successful in the market. A matchup of great design, strong performance, and lots of safety features. The overseas Picanto we know little-to-nothing about won the “Urban Car” category and has done so for six consecutive years over in Russia.
You can find all of these vehicles, sans Picanto, at Miami Lakes Automall Kia. Find your new Kia Corp vehicle today.