London, 15 January 2020 – Kia Motors has won two prestigious What Car? Car of the Year awards. The Kia Picanto took the ‘Best Value Car’ award while the Kia e-Niro won in the fiercely competitive ‘Best Small Electric Car for more than £35,000’ category.
The Picanto picked up its third What Car? award with a win in the ‘Best Value Car’ category. The smallest car in the Kia range had previously been named ‘Best City Car’ in 2017 and 2018. The Picanto is available with a range of safety and infotainment features to make it one of the best-equipped cars in its class. Depending on specification, the Picanto is offered with technologies such as Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA), a 7.0-inch touchscreen satellite navigation system and a reversing camera.
The What Car? judging panel said: “The Picanto has been our favourite city car since 2017, and continues to set the standard thanks to its mix of space, performance, comfort and value for money. Inside, there’s space for four 6ft-tall adults, while the 1.25-litre engine we recommend is gutsy enough for both motorway and town use. The accurate steering and well-damped ride also impress, and you get the reassurance of the longest warranty on the market.”
The e-Niro took home the ‘Best Small Electric Car for more than £35,000’ award in a now fiercely competitive category. The winner of last year’s overall What Car? Car of the Year award, the all-electric e-Niro is capable of 282 miles on a single charge and comes with Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection as standard.
Commenting on the e-Niro, the judging panel said: ‘The Kia e-Niro was our overall car of the year in 2019, and it remains one of the best electric cars on sale. In our real range test, it managed a seriously impressive 253 miles, and it offers plenty of space for five people and their luggage. It also rides more comfortably than rivals, staying more composed through corners. Plus, acceleration off the line is serious and motorway journeys are made a breeze thanks to its 201bhp electric motor.’
Steve Hicks, Sales Director for Kia Motors (UK) Limited commented: “The What Car? Awards are highly recognised and influential so we and our 190-strong UK dealer network are delighted to be awarded once again. The Picanto has always been a strong competitor in the value car market and continues to deliver what customers want, ahead of the competition. The e-Niro is a staple in the developing EV market and offers excellent range and levels of specification seen in premium vehicles.”
