- Kia UK awarded ‘Manufacturer of the Year’
- Kia EV9 named ‘Large EV of the Year’
- Best-selling Sportage wins ‘Used Car Over £15,000’
Kia UK has seen triple success at this year’s Scottish Car of the Year Awards. The brand took home the coveted title of ‘Manufacturer of the Year’, with the judging panel stating the company had exceeded expectations and made bold strides within the past year. Kia’s flagship EV9 added to its growing number of accolades with the ‘Large EV of the Year’ award, while the ever-popular Sportage took the crown in the ‘Used Car over £15,000’ category.
Founded in 1997, the Scottish Car of the Year (SCOTY) awards celebrate the best cars on-sale today. The awards are voted for by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW), with trophies for cars across multiple categories.
2024 has been yet another whirlwind year for the Korean marque, surpassing 100,000 new car sales in the UK for the third year in a row. Electrified cars (electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid) have accounted for more than 50% of these sales, year-to-date. Kia has proven particularly popular with Scottish buyers so far in 2024, as the third best-selling brand in Scotland year-to-date.
Alisdair Suttie, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, commented on Kia’s award win: “There are many car manufacturers working to deliver the best to their customers, but Kia stands out for its superb range of cars, customer service, warranty, and dealers who are happy to go the extra mile. This is a mighty big feather in Kia's corporate cap.”
The ‘Large EV of the Year’ award recognises the ongoing success of Kia’s EVs, with the EV6 scooping wins at the SCOTY awards in the last two years. One of the most versatile new EVs on sale in the UK, the EV9 has become a favourite among customers, and has chalked up wins as both the UK and World Car of the Year since its launch in December 2023. The EV9 paves the way for future Kia models, including the newly launched Kia EV3.
Suttie remarked on the EV9’s category win, saying: “Kia has come up with the most complete, accomplished and downright best large EV the SCOTY judges have ever had the pleasure of testing. Everyone remarked on its handsome looks, roomy cabin, and high quality. Then there's the way the EV9 drives – refined, agile, and with excellent range to make it a thoroughly deserving winner.”
Almost three years since the current fifth generation was launched, the Sportage continues to be a firm favourite with UK customers. It’s one of the top-selling cars in the UK in 2024, and Kia’s UK, European and global best-selling model.
Recognised as a great used buy for customers, the Sportage was praised by the SCOTY judging panel highly, with Suttie commenting: “Used car buyers are not parted from their money easily, and nor do our judges hand out the SCOTY Used Car award lightly, so the Kia Sportage has truly earned this trophy. Its mix of practicality, comfort, equipment, reliability, and a fine drive at keen prices convinced our judging panel the Sportage is a used car hero.”
