The Kia EV3 and new Kia Picanto have each collected their first UK awards, being named ‘Small SUV/Crossover of the Year’ and ‘City/Small Car of the Year’ at the annual News UK Motor Awards.
The EV3 and the new Picanto are among Kia’s latest and greatest offerings, both going on sale in the UK in the second half of 2024, and representing the strength and depth of Kia’s model line-up. The Picanto represents Kia’s continued commitment to the city car segment, while the EV3 is Kia’s latest model in the compact electric SUV class. Both models major on affordability, quality and modern design.
The News UK Motor Awards are judged by a panel of News UK’s expert automotive journalists including Rob Gill from The Sun, Will Dron from Driving.co.uk, Nick Rufford from Sunday Times magazine and David Green from LUXX magazine.
Rob Gill, The Sun’s Motors Editor, commented: “This will be the first of many awards for the hugely impressive Kia EV3. Quite possibly the tipping point for families wondering whether to go electric next. The big battery version at £36k genuinely nudges 375 miles. Much the same price and range as a petrol car. Except the Tardis-like cabin kills similarly-priced petrol cars. Excellent work, Kia.”
The Kia EV3 is the latest in a line-up of highly decorated fully electric vehicles from Kia, following in the footsteps of its larger siblings, the EV6 and EV9. Offering a range of up to 375 miles on a single charge1, comfortable space for five adults, a vast array of onboard technologies traditionally reserved for the larger vehicle segments, all from an entry price of £32,995, the Kia EV3 is the new standard bearer for affordable electric motoring.
The new Kia Picanto, meanwhile, was launched earlier this year with a striking and boldly redesigned front end, echoing design elements of Kia’s largest model, the EV9. The new Picanto picks up where its predecessor left off, with Kia having established a dominant foothold in the UK A-segment in recent years.
“Simple. Fun. Pennies to run. Picanto is everything you want from a small car. Even the cheapest Picanto ‘2’ at £15,595 comes loaded with twin screens, Apple CarPlay, reversing camera, satnav and all the anti-crash tech the law now demands,” commented Rob Gill. “If it fits your life, you’ll love Picanto. Corking little runaround.”
Will Dron, editor of Driving.co.uk, said: “Sports cars and supercars tend to grab all the headlines but sometimes the biggest smiles I get behind the wheel come from small cars, and the updated Kia Picanto is the model that stood out for me this year. Its refreshed design brings the styling bang up to date, and it’s a hoot to drive — eager and rewarding — while offering big car composure with city car efficiency. A great package at a great price.”
Paul Philpott, President and CEO, Kia UK Limited, commented on the double win: “Both the new Picanto and EV3 are incredibly important cars for us in the UK, both generating a high level of interest from a broad range of customers. I’m particularly pleased to see the EV3 collect its first ever UK award. To impress the News UK judges so thoroughly is gratifying to see, and indicative of our hopes for the car as we launch it in Britain. The Picanto has already established itself as a firm favourite in the UK, and the recent update has only served to deepen its appeal with an even wider range of customers, proving our commitment to the A-segment is not in vain.”
The new Picanto and EV3 are not the first of Kia’s models to find success at the annual News UK Motor Awards, with the show-stopping EV6 GT being named ‘Company Car of the Year’ at last year’s ceremony. Also winning an unprecedented five awards at the News UK Motor Awards in 2022.