2025 World Car Awards: Kia EV3 Wins World Car of the Year

The Kia EV3 has secured the 2025 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) title, surpassing the Hyundai Inster/Casper EV and BMW X3. The announcement took place at the New York International Auto Show, where the prestigious award was presented. A panel of 96 renowned automotive journalists, forming the World Car Jury, selected the winner after evaluating all eligible vehicles. The World Car Jury, which includes Dhruv Behl, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of autoX, carried out detailed evaluations of all shortlisted vehicles. Their findings were featured on World Car TV, where they presented in-depth reviews of the finalists. Kia's victory highlights its growing presence in the global electric vehicle market.

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Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia said: 'It is an immense honor for everyone at Kia that the EV3 has been awarded the 2025 World Car of Year title. This award highlights Kia’s global leadership in providing design-led, technologically advanced, sustainable mobility solutions and how the EV3’s class-leading attributes redefine the user experience for customers worldwide.'

World Car Awards 2025: Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 features a bold design with vertical headlamps, a clean front face, and the brand’s updated Tiger Face with Star Map lighting. Its sleek roofline flows into a hatchback-style tailgate, while the rear includes geometric lamps and a thick trim for a strong, high-tech look.

Inside, the EV3 offers a spacious cabin for five. A near-30-inch widescreen spans the dashboard, including a 12.3-inch driver display, a 5-inch AC panel, and a 12.3-inch AVN screen, all with intuitive touch controls and access for both driver and front passenger.

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Built on Kia’s E-GMP platform, the front-wheel drive EV3 uses fourth-gen battery tech. It comes in Standard (58.3kWh) and Long Range (81.4kWh) versions, both powered by a 201bhp motor. It does 0–100km/h in 7.5 seconds, with a top speed of 170km/h and up to 600km range (WLTP). Key safety features include eDTVC, Forward Collision-Avoidance, Lane Keeping Assist, and Highway Driving Assist.

2025 WCOTY: Eligibility Criteria

As in previous years, the finalists for the 2025 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) were evaluated based on clear criteria. According to the World Car Awards, eligible vehicles must be produced in volumes of at least 10,000 units per year, priced below the luxury segment in their main markets, and be available for sale in at least two major markets—such as China, Europe, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, or the USA—across two different continents between 1 January 2024 and 30 March 2025. In the 2024 edition, the Kia EV9 was honoured as the World Car of the Year.