Kia Niro scoops 2023 EcoCar Electrified Car of the Year
Kia has collected six awards in this year’s EcoCar Top 50 Electrified awards, including the ‘2023 EcoCar Electrified Car of the Year’ for the Kia Niro.
Boasting a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric powertrains, the Niro impressed the EcoCar judges in every setup, collecting additional awards for ‘Best electric medium SUV’, ‘Best plug-in hybrid medium SUV’ and ‘Best hybrid medium SUV’.
Says Ian Robertson, Editor of Diesel&EcoCar magazine:
“The Kia Niro proves emphatically that buyers really can have their cake and eat it. Available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric Niro EV, the real achievement is that this SUV performs well in all three versions, seemingly without compromises.
“Which you pick is simply a matter of your personal or family requirements, driving habits and budget. It goes without saying that the Niro is also effortlessly modern, with a smartly designed exterior and interior, and thanks to its chiselled shape, it’s also roomy inside for families. The Niro is also loaded with reassuring safety kit and comes with a seven-year warranty, making it the most well-rounded model on sale and grabs the prize of ‘Electrified Car of the Year for 2023’.”
The all-new Niro was not alone in its success as Kia’s seven-seat Sorento model achieved two class wins in the awards, ‘Best plug-in hybrid large SUV’ and ‘Best hybrid large SUV’. The Sorento, now in its fourth generation, was the first Kia seven-seat model to be made available with a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid or diesel powertrains, and this choice has gone down well with the EcoCar judges.
Continues Robertson:
“The Sorento is a fantastic people mover, whether it’s fitted with a diesel, hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain. Despite the arrival of Kia’s futuristic EV6, the big Sorento still manages to feel like the brand’s flagship model, thanks to its large and well-appointed interior. Now offered in a single ‘Edition’ trim level, it’s well equipped, looks classy, and has a solid Tonka-like ambience. The famed seven-year warranty really seals the deal.”
The EcoCar Top 50 awards compiles a list of the top 50 new electric cars, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on sale today. Now in its second year, last year Kia collected four awards, with the Sportage and previous generation Niro collecting two awards apiece.
