The Kia EV6 is the 2022 Car of the Year

Kia’s new electric EV6 has been named as the 2022 European Car of the Year, being the first model from the firm to be handed the top honours. 

The EV6 arrived in dealerships last year as the first model in Kia’s new electric car range, with the model using a bespoke platform designed specifically for EVs. This allows it to use an advanced 800-volt architecture that enables super quick rapid charging, as well as offering an impressive amount of interior space.

It also boasts a smart new design that will inspire a range of new Kia models, along with a long electric range up to 328 miles.

The EV6 is only the third electric vehicle to be named Car of the Year, following on from the Nissan Leaf in 2011 and Jaguar I-Pace in 2019. This year’s shortlist was dominated by EVs though, with only one of the seven finalists not being sold as a pure EV. 

Awarded by 59 members from across Europe, the Kia EV6 came out on top, scoring 279 points. This was followed by the new Renault Megane E-Tech Electric with 265 points and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 with 261 points. 

Other finalists included the Peugeot 308 (191 points), Skoda Enyaq iV (185 points), Ford Mustang Mach-E (150 points) and Cupra Born (144 points).

Jason Jeong, president at Kia Europe, said: “It’s a great honour to have won the 2022 Car of the Year with the EV6, the first ever Kia to win this prestigious award. 

“The EV6 is truly a landmark development that’s been designed from the outset to make electric mobility fun, convenient and accessible by combining a highly impressive real-world driving range, ultra-fast charging capabilities, a spacious high-tech interior and a truly rewarding driving experience. The EV6 is an exciting sign of what’s still to come in our evolving electrified line-up.”