Hyundai IONIQ 5, Kia EV6 rated top among electric cars in Germany

Hyundai Motor Co.'s IONIQ 5 and Kia Corp.'s EV6 have been recognized as the most competitive electric sport utility vehicles by Auto Zeitung, a highly respected German auto magazine.

According to a recent comparative evaluation of five electric SUVs, the two South Korean models scored the highest and second-highest points, respectively, beating traditional leaders such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

The IONIQ 5, Hyundai’s latest all-electric SUV, topped the list with 3,222 points and the EV6 ranked second with 3,178 points. They were followed by the Polestar 2, the Tesla Model Y and the Mercedes-Benz EQB.

The evaluation was based on five categories: body; driving comfort; powertrain, driving dynamic; and environment and costs.

Auto Zeitung is one of three major automobile magazines in Germany. The magazine’s ratings are highly trusted by Germans and other European consumers, providing a key criterion for their vehicle purchases.

FROM FAST FOLLOWER TO FIRST-MOVER

Hyundai and Kia, major affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group, in recent months significantly raised their standings in the global car market, winning top global awards and industry accolades in recognition of their excellence in design, performance, quality and safety.

The IONIQ 5 ranked first in the EV category of the Best Import Cars of the Year by German car magazine Auto Bild in January.

Last year, the vehicle was named by the UK’s biggest car magazine, the Auto Express, the Car of the Year and the Mid-size Company car of the Year, and recognized as a premium EV.

The EV6 was named Car of the Year and Electric SUV of the Year by the UK's 2022 What Car? magazine last month.

More recently, Kia was cited as the top-ranked automaker in J.D. Power’s 2022 US Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) ahead of General Motor Co.’s Buick as well as premium brands such as Porsche and Lexus.

According to the reliability study released earlier this month, Kia was named the overall leader among 139 models from 32 global brands, including mass-market and luxury cars.

Last week, a total of 21 models from Hyundai Motor Group’s three brands – Hyundai, Kia and the premium Genesis – received top scores from the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for their high levels of safety.

Since Chairman Chung Euisun took the helm of the Korean automotive group in October 2020, Hyundai has strived to improve the quality of its cars.

Aided by the top industry accolades, the group’s auto sales have also increased, competing with rivals such as Stellantis, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi for the world’s No. 3 spot.

Hyundai Motor and Kia saw their combined auto sales in the US rise to their highest level in January when almost all other major carmakers posted declining sales.

The two automakers last year beat Japan’s Honda Motor in the US for the first time in 35 years.

Write to Hyung-Kyu Kim at khk@hankyung.com
In-Soo Nam edited this article.