Awards season has been pretty crazy for 2023 so far. Every week, another competition or “Best of” list concludes, and we find out who the big names in the industry think are the best cars on the market. It’s not just one person’s opinion, either. A lot of the winners are picked based on data and a jury panel made up of a variety of people from different backgrounds with different values, and they all still come to an agreement on the best-of-the-best. The Kia Corp has been on fire since 2023 started, racking up awards left-and-right, and the most recent is the Utility Vehicle of the Year in the 2023 AutoGuide Awards, naming the 2023 Kia Sportage as the winner.
“The Sportage is a Kia icon, but it’s been elevated to new heights after its significant overhaul for the 2023 model year…We’re humbled the esteemed editors at AutoGuide have recognized how much thought we put into improving the Sportage and expanding the model line with HEV and PHEV powertrains.” – Steven Center, COO and EVP, Kia America
Celebrating the best new or significantly updated vehicles of the year, the AutoGuide Awards first only focused on passenger cars before adding trucks and SUVs in 2014. In 2021, family vehicles and green vehicles were added with the upsurge in eco-friendly models. For 2023, four categories remain: Car, Truck, Utility Vehicle, and Electric Vehicle of the year. 20 finalists were chosen for the list, all of which were measured on several attributes, including value, ease of use, space, safety, and curb appeal. The judges panel was made up of managing editor Mike Schlee, road test editor Kyle Patrick, and contributing writers Lee Bailie, Evan Williams, and Jeff Wilson. At the end of the day, the 2023 Kia Sportage was chosen for the Utility Vehicle category, able to impress consumers and the judges with the choices offered. Available as a gasoline model, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid model, consumers can find everything the Sportage has to offer while also having a choice to go green.
Another competition Kia popped up in this week was the 2023 World Car Awards. The AutoGuide cars of the year recently concluded, naming the winners for that list, and parent company Hyundai dominated this year. However, there’s still a chance for Kia to take home another AutoGuide award with the World Car Awards.
This year, three Kia models were chosen as finalists across three categories. Among the potential winners was the Kia Niro, the world’s first hybrid crossover that eventually spawned the Niro Plug-in Hybrid and the Niro EV. The latter was a finalist for the 2023 World Electric Vehicle category. Third, the EV6 GT was a finalist in the 2023 World Performance Car category for its impressive 567 horsepower. Going on for 19 years now, the World Car Awards has a jury panel made up of 100 people from 32 countries that test-drive and vote on a list of eligible vehicles every year. The winners will be announced live during an awards ceremony at the 2023 New York International Auto Show on April 5, 2023.
Be on the lookout for which Kia model wins a 2023 World Car Award when you follow us along on Miami Lakes Automall social media. You can also find award-winning models like the 2023 Kia Sportage at Miami Lakes Automall.