Kia, First Brand to Win 2 ICOTY in Same Year

Bennett  Oghifo

The Kia Carens has been crowned as the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) 2023 and the Kia EV6 won the Green Car Award 2023 by ICOTY. 

With this, Kia has become the first brand ever to win two ICOTY awards in the same year, said the automaker in a statement.  

The ICOTY awards, held under the aegis of the Automotive Journalists Association of India (AJAI), are the most coveted automotive awards in India and are often referred to as the Oscars of the Indian automotive industry. The award is an expert and independent judgment of the best new car. The highly experienced jury members are responsible for selecting a single decisive winner. The criteria like price, fuel efficiency, styling, comfort, safety, performance, practicality, technical innovation, value for money, and suitability for Indian driving conditions are particularly important factors that are considered while deciding on the winner. 

“India is one of the most important markets for Kia, as the Indian market has grown at an unprecedented rate. Kia has become one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in the Indian market and to be recognized by the Indian Car of the Year jury is a significant achievement for the whole Kia family,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO, Kia Corporation. “The Kia Carens highlights our commitment to offer tailor-made family vehicles to meet Indian customers’ needs, while the Kia EV6 embodies our vision to pave the road for electrified mobility solutions for India. We will continue our efforts to contribute to the future of mobility for customers in India and around the world.

“We are thankful to the esteemed ICOTY jury members for this honor. This is a well-deserved recognition for the Kia brand and speaks volumes for our technological prowess, capabilities and understanding of Indian market,” said Tae-Jin Park, Managing Director and CEO, Kia India. “It is a true reflection of our successful journey in India and a great motivation for us to keep working and contributing towards an inspiring tomorrow.”

Kia Carens is yet another made-in-India global product from Kia that brings the sophistication of a family mover and the sportiness of an SUV in one compelling package. The Kia Carens is a comfortable and spacious three-row seater Recreational Vehicle designed for modern Indian families. The vehicle hosts many first-in-class features such as 26.03 Cm (10.25”) HD Touchscreen Navigation with Next Generation Kia Connect, BOSE Premium Sound System with 8 speakers, Smart Pure Air Purifier with Virus and Bacteria protection, Ventilated front seats, 2nd Row Seat One Touch Easy Electric Tumble and SkyLight Sunroof to name a few. All the trim levels offer the Robust 10 Hi-safety package as standard which includes 6 airbags, VSM, HAC, ESC, all-Wheel Disc Brakes, to name a few, making the Kia Carens safe for a family drive. 

The Kia Carens is available with three powertrain options – Smartstream 1.5 Petrol, Smartstream 1.4 T-GDi Petrol and 1.5 CRDi VGT Diesel. Further, customers also get an option to choose from three transmission options – 6MT, 7DCT and 6AT.The vehicle is offered in the Seven seater option in Premium to Luxury trims, while the Luxury Plus trim is available with a choice of both 6 and 7 seater options. 

Kia EV6 is the first Electric Vehicle by Kia in India and is built on Kia’s dedicated EV platform, the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The vehicle boasts a highly impressive real-world driving range, ultra-fast charging capabilities, and a spacious, high-tech interior. It features an 800-volt ultra-fast charging capability, with a 10-80 percent charge taking as little as 18 minutes using a 350-kW charger. Alongside its charging capabilities, the EV6 will be introduced in India with a long-range (77.4 kWh) battery pack that offers a range of up to 708 km on a full charge (ARAI certified).