The Women's Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) panel named Kia Motors's flagship EV, the EV9, has bagged the World's Best Car for 2024 making Kia win the contest for the second year in a row.
The panel, which included 75 female automotive journalists from 52 countries, assessed 63 vehicles before choosing winners in categories like Family Car, Large Car, SUV, 4x4, Pick-up, and Exclusive Car. The Announcement coincided with International Women's Day on March 8.
The finalists were:
Family Car: Volvo EX30
Large Car: BMW 5 Series
SUV: Kia EV9
4X4 & Pick-up: Volkswagen Amarok
Exclusive Car: Aston Martin DB12
Kia EV9, an all-electric SUV, was first showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo. It comes with three powertrain options, including a base RWD variant with a 76.1kWh battery and a mid-spec RWD long-range variant. The range-topping EV9 gets two electric motors, but the brand is yet to reveal its range figures. Additionally, the Kia EV9 is capable of both bi-directional and ultra-fast charging capabilities. It rivals the likes of Audi Q8 e-tron, BMW iX and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.
According to the official statement from the WWCOTY group, the cars were evaluated based on multiple criteria including safety, driving, comfort, technology, efficiency, environmental impact and value for money.
A total of 63 contenders were considered across various categories set by the WWCOTY committee. To qualify, each vehicle had to be launched in at least two continents between January 1 and December 2023.
The voting process was authenticated by Grant Thronton, operating from the Auckland, New Zealand office. Grant Thronton has been responsible for verifying the results of the Women’s Car of the Year Awards since its establishment in 2009.
The Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year distinguishes itself as the sole awards organisation worldwide composed of just women motoring journalists. The organisation was founded by a New Zealand-based motoring journalist, Sandy Myhre, while Marta Garcia is the executive president.