The EV9 has also been crowned as the World Electric Vehicle of the Year.

“We are hugely honored that the 2024 EV9 has been named the World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle. This triumph is a testament to our unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology and design excellence. The Kia EV9’s continued success will drive us to keep delivering exceptional vehicles that redefine the driving experience for customers around the world,” Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia said.

Kia has already claimed three wins at the World Car Awards: the Telluride as World Car of the Year and the Soul EV as World Urban Car in 2020, along with the Kia EV6 GT taking World Performance Car of the Year in 2023.

This year marks the third straight year that a model underpinned by the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform has won the WCOTY. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 won in 2022 and the Ioniq 6 won in 2023.

Yet another vehicle underpinned by the E-GMP—the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N won this year’s World Performance Car of the Year title.

Elsewhere, the Volvo EX30 won the World Urban Car of the Year (maximum length of 4.25 meters and approved for operation on public roads), while the BMW 5 Series / i5 was crowned as the World Luxury Car of the Year.

“Winning this award with the EX30 is incredibly gratifying and a firm validation of our ambitious electrification strategy,” said Jim Rowan, Volvo Cars chief executive. “Customer response to the EX30 has exceeded our expectations, and it has proven to be a perfect car for today’s marketplace as a growing number of car buyers switch to fully electric cars. I’m convinced the EX30 will strongly contribute to our growth this year and beyond.”

When it comes to design, it was a Japanese car that won the main award as the all-new Toyota Prius was crowned as the 2024 World Car Design of the Year.

A design panel consisting of highly respected design experts established a short list for the jurors’ final vote based on the finalists.

“We went back to drawing board to reimage the Prius, considering whether to create a commodity, turning it into more of a taxi or creating something that would capture hearts. Ultimately, we choose to create something people can love not only for its rational benefits, but also emotional experience,” said Yasushi Ueda, Chief Engineer for Prius. “It is an honor to receive the Best Design award – inside and out, the new Prius is a car that not only looks great, but also is fun to drive.”

Vehicles eligible for the World Urban Car award must be produced in volumes of at least 5,000 units per year and must be “on-sale” in at least two major markets (China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, USA) on at least two separate continents within the period January 1, 2023 and March 30, 2024.