• ll-New Hyundai KONA named Car of the Year at Auto Express New Car Awards

• Also recognised as best Small Company Car and best Small SUV

• Judges praise “brilliant” KONA for its design, spaciousness and electrified options

• Hyundai TUCSON is best Mid-size SUV, while New Hyundai i10 is best City Car

• Prestigious Auto Express awards inform buyers about the finest cars on the market

• All-new KONA is available to order now, with prices from £25,725

Leatherhead, 4 July 2023 -  Hyundai’s All-New KONA is celebrating significant success already, having been crowned Car of the Year at the Auto Express New Car Awards, as well as Small SUV of the Year and Small Company Car of the Year.

The awards were handed out at a ceremony at London’s Barbican Conservatory on what proved to be a dominant evening for Hyundai, with the All-New KONA’s impressive haul backed up by further recognition for the Hyundai TUCSON as Mid-size SUV of the Year and the New Hyundai i10 as City Car of the Year.

Auto Express is one of the UK’s leading car news and reviews titles both in print and online, and its New Car Awards are long established, having been launched in 1993. The awards are judged by an experienced team of road testers, chaired by Editor-in-Chief Steve Fowler, and seek to inform buyers of the best cars on the market across a variety of sectors.

The All-New KONA was revealed earlier this year. Auto Express’s experts were won over by the All-New KONA’s long list of attributes, including its dynamic design, cutting-edge technology, spacious interior and excellent driving experience, plus the exceptional choice it affords both private buyers and those seeking a company car, with internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid electric (HEV) and all-electric versions (EV) available. This helped it capture two highly prized category wins, as well as the coveted Car of the Year title – the second time in three years a Hyundai has clinched the top award, following the IONIQ 5’s victory in 2021.

The winning theme continued with the Hyundai TUCSON collecting the best Mid-size SUV award for the third year running. As in 2021 and 2022, the TUCSON’s distinctive design, advanced technology and exceptional ownership experience swayed the judges, with its wide choice of efficient powertrains and engaging driving experience also receiving praise.

Steve Fowler, Auto Express Editor-in-Chief, said: “Hyundai continues to do spectacularly well at the Auto Express New Car Awards with another Car of the Year – this time the KONA – plus supporting victories for the TUCSON and the updated i10. We’ve been blown away by the KONA, which is now a much more mature and spacious package in a number of electrified flavours. It’s a great looking car that will be easy to live with and cost-effective to own – a brilliant family SUV. The same can be said of its bigger brother, the TUCSON, which is still impressing with its quality, comfort and tech. And the little i10 proves that affordable motoring is still out there and doesn’t come at the expense of comfort and kit.”

The success in the Auto Express New Car Awards follows a series of high-profile accolades for Hyundai’s dynamic product range.

In April, the Hyundai IONIQ 6 picked up a hat-trick of top prizes at the World Car Awards, where it was crowned World Car of the Year, World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year, matching the performance of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 a year previously.

The IONIQ 6 was also named Best Company Car at the 2023 Autocar Awards and Saloon of the Year at the 2023 GQ Car Awards. Plus, its excellent safety credentials were endorsed as it achieved a five-star safety rating and Best in Class selection in the Large Family Car category from Euro NCAP.

It was also named Best EV Compact Executive Car by Fleet World at the Great British Fleet Awards.

Ashley Andrew, President of Hyundai Motor UK, said: “We have been proud to see our innovative model range pick up a number of prestigious awards over the past few years, and I am particularly delighted that the All-New KONA is the latest car to be recognised, with deliveries in Britain starting imminently. The All-New KONA blends boldness with real user-friendliness, and is a wonderful example of how Hyundai can deliver for all types of customer with its broad array of powertrains. We are absolutely thrilled that the experts at Auto Express have given it such a resounding seal of approval, as well as recognising what compelling choices the TUCSON and New i10 continue to make in their respective areas of the market.”

A full feature on all the winners of the 2023 Auto Express New Car Awards will appear in the 5 July issue of Auto Express and online at autoexpress.co.uk.

-End-

About Hyundai Motor

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.

About Hyundai Motor Europe HQ

Hyundai Motor Europe HQ was formally established in 2000 with its main office in Offenbach, Germany. It is the regional headquarter responsible for over 40 markets with more than 3,000 outlets, taking 3.6 per cent market share in 2020 (ACEA data).

About Hyundai Motor UK

Hyundai has sold vehicles in the UK since 1982. In 2005, Hyundai opened its own UK subsidiary, Hyundai Motor UK Ltd, which is now based in Leatherhead, Surrey. As of January 2021, Hyundai has one of the youngest product ranges of any manufacturer, with almost all models younger than 1 ½ years old. More than 75 per cent of the Company’s line-up is now available as an electrified version, and the company plans to electrify its entire range by 2025. Furthermore, Hyundai is a pioneer in zero-emission mobility, including its fully-electric 300-mile range Kona Electric, its second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle NEXO, and the multi award winning IONIQ 5, the first model in its new IONIQ line-up brand. All passenger cars come with Hyundai’s unique Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty package, providing customers with a five-year warranty with unlimited mileage, five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks. The High Voltage battery warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles.

Further information about Hyundai and its products is available at www.hyundai.co.uk and media information at: https://www.hyundai.news/uk/ .