Kia has reached again the final stages of the European Car of the Year (COTY) competition, this time, with the all-new Niro compact crossover. The expert panel of 58 jurors from 22 countries carefully evaluated 27 models to create a final shortlist of just seven. The winner will be announced at a ceremony to be held at the Brussels Motor show on Friday 13 January.
Following in the footsteps of the highly successful first-generation Niro, a model that kick-started Kia’s electrified eco-friendly line-up of vehicles in Europe, the all-new model has been comprehensively upgraded to take the lead in the competitive C-CUV segment.
Kia has focused on ensuring the all-new Niro meets the key requirements of today’s environmentally conscious consumers. The vehicle is offered with a choice of three electrified powertrains – hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and all-electric – to help more people make the transition to electrified mobility in a way that suits their needs. The Niro EV variant delivers 285 miles of all-electric driving range, while the PHEV model provides 40 miles of electric range, more than sufficient for most daily commutes. Niro’s spacious and functional interior is furnished with sustainable materials, and benefits from Kia’s latest infotainment and connectivity features.
Jason Jeong, President at Kia Europe, commented: “Kia is honored that the judges chose to add Niro to the 2023 shortlist. Having just won the Golden Steering Wheel award in Germany, the Niro is once again standing out from the crowd, and we are confident that its popularity will continue to grow across Europe. It would be an incredible achievement if Niro were to follow in the footsteps of the EV6 to win Car of the Year 2023.”
The all-new Niro family was launched to great acclaim in the UK earlier in 2022 and has already been the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, being named ‘Car of the Year’ by both The Sun and Carbuyer in the first months of its life.
Previously, the Ceed reached the final stages twice with its first- and third-generation models, plus the Stinger and EV6 have each made the shortlist.
Niro fulfills a crucial role in Kia’s ‘Plan S’ strategy, which outlines the brand’s sustainability targets, one of which is to have a fully electric passenger car line-up in Europe by 2035. The all-new Niro together with the acclaimed EV6 are pivotal models in accelerating the uptake of electrified models and establishing Kia as a leader in the new era of sustainable mobility.
