Kia wins World's Greatest Auto Disruptors 2024

Kia Corp. won two categories of the Newsweek World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors Awards with the all-electric EV9 winning Research and Development Disruptor of the Year and Head of Kia Global Design, Executive Vice President Karim Habib, named Design Disruptor of the Year.

A central figure in Kia’s success since his arrival in 2019, Habib is the driving force behind the brand’s award-winning Opposites United design philosophy.

Drawing from the contrasts found in nature and humanity, Opposites United shapes the exterior, interior, color, and materials employed across all new Kia models, and is particularly evident in the striking styling of the all-electric EV9.

The Kia EV9 features multiple innovative R&D features including 800V architecture, Over The Air (OTA)1 update technology, and a drag coefficient of just 0.28 - despite its available 7.8 inches of ground clearance and seven-seat capacity.

With an affordable entry price and an EPA-estimated 304-mile range on the Light Long Range RWD2, the Kia EV9 brings next-generation technology, luxury, and efficiency. 

A key vehicle for the North American market, the EV9 recently followed in the footsteps of the EV6 in being crowned North American Utility Vehicle of the Year.

Write to Jae-Fu Kim at hu@hankyung.com