Kia Motors has won big at the 2020 World Car Awards with the Telluride named World Car of the Year and the Soul EV named World Urban Car.
The Kia Telluride, which is not available in Europe, was rewarded by the judging panel for its distinctive design and impressive practicality. The 2020 World Car of the Year title represents another accolade for a vehicle that has garnered more than 70 awards since its introduction in 2019.
The SUV has already been crowned North American Utility Vehicle of the Year, while the Continental 2020 Irish Car of the Year title holder, the fully-electric e Soul was named ‘Urban Car of the Year’. It is an ideal car for the city, according to the jury, but it is much more than that, combining zero-emission performance and impressive electric range with a compact body, bold design, and high levels of practicality.
The compact Kia Soul EV features a powerful battery-electric powertrain with a choice of 64 or 39.2 kWh battery packs. Able to travel up to 452 kilometres on a single charge (64kWh models; WLTP combined cycle ), the Soul EV offers drivers greater all-electric range than many more expensive electric vehicles, making it ideal both in the urban environment and beyond city limits.
A series of advanced range-increasing technologies, including regenerative braking, ensures drivers can maximize the distance on a single charge.
The e Soul is no stranger to awards, and here in Ireland it has three 2020 Irish Car of the Year titles to its name: the Irish Compact Car of the Year, Irish Green Efficient Car of the Year, and the aforementioned overall Irish Car of the Year 2020 title.
The Mazda3 won the 2020 World Car Design of the Year in this special year, marking the 100th anniversary of Mazda’s foundation. Launched in 2019, the Mazda3 was the first vehicle to showcase their latest developments in the company's ground-breaking Kodo design language - a more mature rendition targeting greater styling prestige through the elegance and rigour of a minimalist, less-is-more aesthetic inspired by the purest traditions of Japanese art and the beauty of space between objects.
The Porsche Taycan was also a big winner, taking both the 2020 World Luxury Car and 2020 World Performance Car categories. Porsche says it was designed to show an electric car could provide the performance, driving pleasure and everyday comfort and usability that characterises every Porsche.
