Hyundai Ioniq 6 Sweeps 2023 World Car Of The Year Awards In New York

South Korean automaker Hyundai has cleaned house at the 2023 World Car of the Year awards, with the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 6 taking out the coveted title.

The swoopy Hyundai Ioniq 6 also won the World Design Car award and the World Electric Vehicle award, and its close cousin, the Kia EV6 GT, won the World Performance Car award as well.

The Ioniq 6 beat out the short-listed BMW X1/iX1 and the Kia Niro for the outright honor, the BMW i7 and the Lucid Air for the World Electric Vehicle award and the Range Rover and the Lucid Air for the World Design trophy.

SangYup Lee, the Hyundai Motor Company’s Executive Vice President, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, had already won World Car of the Year’s 2023 Person of the Year award.

American EV startup Lucid won the World Luxury Car award with its debut car, the Lucid Air, while French automaker Citroen took out the award for World Urban Car with the Citroen C3.

But, as in 2022, it was a New York auto show awards breakfast with a very Korean feel. The controversially styled Ioniq 6 took up where the Ioniq 5 left off, following its platform stablemate to the outright World Car of the Year title, one year on.

“We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honor two years in a row, which recognizes the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like Ioniq 6 to market,” Hyundai Motor Company’s President and CEO Jaehoon Chang said.

“This honor reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider.”

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 was one of 21 original contender vehicles, and made a short list that included the BMW i7 luxury EV and the Lucid Air.

World Car of the Year rules insist a vehicle must have been sold on at least two continents, in at least two major markets, between January 2022 and March 30, 2023 previous calendar year to be eligible.

“We always want to connect with customers on an emotional level and with the design of the IONIQ 6 we have created truly one of a kind,” Lee said.

“The daring streamliner styling combines strong emotional appeal with aerodynamic efficiency to give exceptional range.”

Lucid Air’s Design head, Derek Jenkins, spoke of his shock at sending the company’s first car up against the Range Rover and the Genesis G90 and winning.

“if I think about the automotive industry, it’s not the easiest business in the world,” Jenkins said.

“The idea that starting a new car copmpany from nothing, it is not for the faint hearted. That makes this moment incredibly sweet,” he said.