Staff Reporter
In the eighth edition of the Women’s World Car of the Year awards, the Hyundai IONIQ has won the ‘Supreme Award.’ All three models in the range – the IONIQ Electric, Hybrid and Plug-in hybrid – were treated as one car for voting purposes.
To identify the supreme winner, the Women’s World Car of the Year jury first voted for the winning models in six different categories such as family car, budget car, green car, SUV/Crossover, luxury car and performance car. The IONIQ came out on top in the Green car category and was then chosen as the supreme winner.
“Since entering the market last year, more than 23 000 customers in Europe have chosen the IONIQ range,” says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing and Product at Hyundai Motor Europe.
“The Women’s World Car of the Year award once again proves that the world’s first car offering hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric powertrains in a single body type is a real champion.”
“The Hyundai IONIQ, which already holds several ‘Car of the Year’ titles for its overall performance and design, is one of the most decorated, best-valued eco-cars and a symbol of Hyundai Motor’s technical capability and innovative spirit.”
Among the technical highlights of the product range, the IONIQ Hybrid and IONIQ Plug-in provide class-leading fuel efficiency and low CO2 emissions of 92-79 g/km* and 26 g/km* respectively.
The IONIQ Electric can travel 280 km on a single charge, providing greater flexibility and peace of mind for customers seeking a zero-emission car with a practical driving range. The IONIQ Plug-in derivative can drive up to 63 km in pure electric mode, increasing the possibility of fuel-free driving for those customers who typically cover shorter distances.
The Women’s World Car of the Year is the only car award in the world with an all-female jury. The jury consists of 25 established motor journalists from 20 different countries. Initially they nominated 420 cars before whittling them down to a list of the top 60.
They then voted by secret ballot, allocating points to each one. The final results are audited by the Auckland, New Zealand, office of the international accountancy firm Grant Thornton.
“The car that wins the supreme award has gone through a rigorous test by 25 judges from 20 different countries who are on the panel of Women’s World Car of the Year,” said Sandy Myhre, CEO of the Women’s World Car of the Year.
“It’s a democratic process, and cars that have won categories and the supreme winner really have to stand out.”