Kia EV6 named 2022 What Car? Car of the Year
Award gives Kia its second overall win at the What Car? awards in four years
The Kia EV6 has been named What Car? Car of the year 2022.
The electric SUV earned the top prize for setting new benchmarks for electric cars, with an official range of 328 miles and managing 224 miles in a near worst-case low temperature conditions test conducted by What Car?’s testers. The judges also praised its super-fast, 800V charging capability, allowing for a 10-80% charge in as little ast 18 minutes.
In addition, the EV6 earned praise for being hugely spacious, very refined even by electric car standards and for being sold with the reassurance of a standard-setting seven-year warranty.
The EV6's victory was announced at the What Car? Awards event, at London's Grosvenor House Hotel. It is the second time Kia has won the overall What Car? Car of the Year Award, having taken a maiden victory in 2019 with the Kia e-Niro.
“Once again, Kia has set a new benchmark for an electric vehicle," What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said. "The EV6 is a terrific all-rounder that answers electric car buyers’ questions around range and charging times brilliantly, and which offers terrific space, refinement and value for money.
“Kia’s progress has long been impressive, but it is the way that it has seized the opportunity offered by the transition to electric cars that has made it a leader in the market. Coming hot on the heels of its victory with the e-Niro in 2019, this Car of the Year win cements its position alongside Tesla as one of the most exciting electric car makers on the planet.”
Kia UK President and CEO Paul Philpott added: “It’s a great honour for Kia to win Car of the Year at this year’s What Car? Awards, particularly given the high regard with which they are held by customers across the UK. The EV6 is a truly exceptional car and it’s just the beginning of things to come from Kia on our rapid journey to electrification.”
The win makes Kia only the third non-European manufacturer to win the top prize at the What Car? Awards, which began in 1978.
*Overall winner*
Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line
*Category winners*
SMALL CAR: Honda Jazz SR
FAMILY CAR: Seat Leon 1.5 TSI 130 Evo FR
SMALL SUV: Ford Puma 1.0 Ecoboost Hybrid (mHEV)
FAMILY SUV: Volvo XC40 Recharge T4 Plus (Dark Theme)
ELECTRIC SUV: Kia EV6 RWD GT-Line
LARGE SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe 4WD Premium
LUXURY SUV: BMW X5 xDrive45e M Sport
SPORTS SUV: Ford Puma ST 1.5 Ecoboost 200 Performance Pack
HYBRID (plug-in): Lexus NX 450h+ F Sport Premium Plus Pack
SMALL EV: Cupra Born 58kWh V2
LARGE EV: Tesla Model 3 Long Range
EXECUTIVE CAR: BMW 3 Series 330e M Sport (M Sport Pro Package)
LUXURY CAR: BMW 5 Series 530e M Sport (M Sport Pro Package)
ESTATE: Skoda Superb Estate 2.0 TDI 150 SEL
MPV: Volkswagen Touran 1.5 TSI 150 SE
PICK-UP: Ford Ranger 2.0L EcoBlue 213PS Wildtrack auto
HOT HATCH: Mercedes-AMG A45 S Plus
PERFORMANCE CAR: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 4S
COUPÉ: BMW 4 Series 420i M Sport (M Sport Pro Package)
CONVERTIBLE: BMW 4 Series Convertible 420i (M Sport Pro Package)
SPORTS CAR: Porsche Cayman GTS
*Special awards*
RELIABILITY AWARD: Lexus
TRUE MPG AWARD: Toyota Yaris Cross 1.5 petrol hybrid
INNOVATION AWARD: Gridserve
SAFETY AWARD: Nissan Qashqai
TOW CAR AWARD: Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 3 DCT
READER AWARD: Range Rover
