The new Kia Carens has been crowned as the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) 2023 while the Kia EV6 has won the 2023 ICOTY Green Car Award. With this, Kia has become the first brand ever to win two ICOTY awards in the same year.
The Carens MPV was awarded the most points by the ICOTY Jury members. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara was placed in the 1st runners-up position while the Mahindra Scorpio-N secured the 2nd runners-up position. Amongst the contenders for ICOTY 2023 were cars like the Hyundai Tucson, Maruti Suzuki Alto K10, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Skoda Slavia, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Citroen C3, and Volkswagen Virtus.
The Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) Jury comprises Indian automotive journalists from magazines, publications, and other media houses. For 2023, the ICOTY Jury has 18 journalists. Each Jury member tests these cars and has 25 points to award in total. No car can be awarded more than 10 points by a jury member, with the 25 points to be divided amongst five of the contenders with one clear winner. The criteria such as 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.
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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 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 – 6-MT, 7-DCT, and 6-AT. 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.
ICOTY Winners Kia Carens & EV6 at Auto Expo 2023
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).
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Commenting on the achievement, Ho Sung Song, the President, and CEO of Kia Corporation said:
“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,. The Kia Carens highlights our commitment to offering 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”
Tae-Jin Park, the Managing Director and CEO of Kia India commented:
“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 the Indian market. 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.”
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
