Four Kia Models Land in the Top 22 of the EcoCar Electrified Top 50 Awards

Electric cars don’t get enough love in America, and it’s hurting a lot of automakers that are starting to produce more plug-in hybrids and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). A lot of it has to do with how impractical BEVs are. Unless a consumer owns their home and can install a level 2 charger into their garage, finding a place to charge up quickly when on the road can be a little nerve-wracking. Even so, electric cars continue to win awards for their impressive power and range, and maybe that’s all a consumer needs to change their mind. Diesel&EcoCar magazine knows this, and during this year’s EcoCar Electrified Top 50 Awards, the Kia Niro hybrid crossover and Kia EV9 took home several awards.

“Last year’s winner still makes the podium, partly thanks to its triple-threat offering – you can get the Niro as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or all-electric car, just pick the propulsion that best suits your lifestyle and budget. It’s a great car in all three guises, with the PHEV serving up a 40-mile range before the dignified petrol engine chimes in, while the EV can cover 285 miles and gets from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds. We love its modern interior, with twin 10.25-inch screens, and long list of standard kits, even on the entry-level versions. The winning package is underpinned by a roomy cabin and capacious boot and that brilliant seven-year warranty package.” – Ian Robertson, Editor of Diesel&EcoCar magazine

That’s right. This isn’t a one-time thing for the Kia Niro. Seemingly forgotten with the current upswing of all-electric vehicles from Kia, the Kia Niro was the first hybrid crossover in the world and the first hybrid Kia released that didn’t have an all-gasoline model. Not too long ago, Kia had the popular pattern of taking favorite vehicles of consumers and releasing a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant. Still going on today with the likes of the Kia Sorento Hybrid, Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid, and Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, the Kia Niro was unique. Also very popular, the Niro spawned the Niro Plug-in Hybrid and Niro EV shortly after its release.

This year, the Niro and EV9, the Kia Sportage and EV6 made it into the EcoCar Top 50 list, with all four ranked within the top 22 spots. Surprisingly, the EV9 ranked in 22nd place, whereas the original all-electric EV6 was ranked 13th, the Sportage landed at 10th place, and the Niro family took third place. The Kia Niro won two awards, named the “EcoCar Best Hybrid Medium SUV” and “EcoCar Best Plug-in Hybrid Medium SUV”. Taking home the “EcoCar Best Electric Seven-Seat SUV” award is the Kia EV9. For its numerous entries into the plug-in hybrid and BEV segment, the Kia brand won the award for “EcoCar Most Influential Electric Car Maker 2024”.

We wonder what next year will bring with all of the new electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles said to be released in 2025. Every year, the EcoCar Electrified Top 50 Awards puts together a list of the top 50 new electric cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles available in the market at the time of the awards taking place. We’re looking forward to it, and if you want to find out who wins next year, you can follow along with us on Miami Lakes Automall social media. You can also find these winning Kia models when you look for a new Kia at Miami Lakes Automall.

Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media