After the unexpected success of the Ioniq 5, Hyundai decided to give Tesla’s Model 3, BMW’s i4, Polestar’s Polestar 2, and even Mercedes-Benz’s EQE something to be afraid of – the sleek Ioniq 6 with its double spoiler. The automaker has barely gotten journalists into a couple of drivable models, but those invited to judge the finalists at this year’s 2023 World Car of the Year decided the elongated sedan is what you should put your money on.
There’s no denying that the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has a striking presence and debuts a look that screams “I’ve come out of a wind tunnel!” The sedan almost reminds us of the now-defunct Lightyear 0 from certain angles. But unlike the absurdly expensive solar-powered car, the South Korean model targeted one of the world’s most popular EVs – the Tesla Model 3 – and came out of the unknown with better range and a futuristic design approach.
The 20th edition of the World Car of the Year Award is marked by Hyundai Group’s incredible performance. Hyundai and Genesis Head of Design SangYup Lee was named Person of the Year, the Kia EV6 GT conquered the World Performance Car of the Year section, and now the Ioniq 6 closes the loop by getting the most important award after more than 100 journalists from around the world decided it deserves this accolade. But wait, it’s not over yet!
The Ioniq 6 trumped the BMW X1 and the Kia Niro (both having all-electric versions) to be named the World Car of the Year, but it also defeated the BMW i7 and the Lucid Air in the World Electric Vehicle category. So, at the end of the day, Hyundai walks home with four prizes. This will give the brand enough fuel to begin deploying some clever marketing tactics since the “Kia Boyz” trend wreaked havoc on the automotive group’s image.
Another great thing for the automaker that the Hyundai Ioniq 6 managed to pull off at this year’s event was that it followed in the footsteps of the Ioniq 5 by coming on top in both the World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle of the Year categories.
To be eligible for the World Car of the Year award, the vehicles must be:
produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units/year;
priced below the luxury car level in their primary markets;
available to customers from at least two major markets on at least two separate continents starting January 1, 2022, and ending March 30, 2023.
Jurors used eight categories to rate the finalists, and they test-drove the qualifying vehicles on at least two separate occasions.
Photo: WCOTY
Thanks to all this preparation and work that’s been ongoing since September of last year, the participating journalists were also able to give great scores to the:
Citroen C3, which now is the 2023 World Urban Car;
Lucid Air, which now is the 2023 World Luxury Car.
The C3 rose above the ORA Funky Cat (also known as Haomao) and the VW Taigo (also known as Nivus), while the Lucid Air defeated the BMW i7 and the Genesis G90.
Finally, keep in mind that everyone’s motoring needs are different. These awards recognize that some vehicles managed to score well in a couple of categories and are a good indication to find out which model might be a good buy. Nonetheless, make sure to ask around for availability, and the pricing policy of the selling dealer, and, if possible, always book a test drive before pulling the trigger.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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