Kia EV6 award comes just before NZ dealer debut

The Kia EV6 electric crossover has won the Red Dot Awards’ ‘Best of the Best’ title prior to its presentation to Kia New Zealand dealer partners next week.

The 2022 European Car of the Year champion also claimed the Red Dot ‘Innovative Products’ award.

The 50-strong jury in the international design competition awarded the EV6 the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best’ accolade for its pioneering and forward-looking design.

“The accolades keep on coming for the amazing new Kia EV6, it is certainly making a very strong statement on the world stage,” says Kia New Zealand managing director Todd McDonald.

“Anticipation is reaching a crescendo as we build towards launch here in New Zealand,” he adds.

“In fact, we are debuting the new model to our dealer partners next week and then the first models will be arriving in showrooms shortly after.”

McDonald says Kia New Zealand can’t wait to introduce Kiwis to the new EV, adding it will change the way people think about full EVs thanks to its impressive interior space, fast-charge capability, a driving range exceeding 500km, plus its technology and features.

As Kia’s first dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV), the EV6 symbolises the brand’s new direction as it transitions into a leading sustainable mobility solutions provider.

It was created according to Kia’s new design philosophy ‘Opposites United’, which guarantees a powerful visual identity with contrasting combinations of sharp stylistic elements and sculptural shapes.

The EV6 is also the first Kia to be based on the company’s advanced Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).

It includes 800-volt ultra-fast charging technology enabling the Kia EV6 to be charged from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes.

“These two Red Dot awards honour the hard work of our teams and encourage us to stay the course towards the future of environmentally responsible mobility for all,” says Kia global design centre head Karim Habib.

Since 2009, when the Kia Soul became the first vehicle from a Korean brand to receive the award, 27 Kia models have gained a Red Dot award. The EV6 is also the sixth Kia to receive the Red Dot ‘Best of the Best’ accolade.