Hyundai next-gen EV scoops 3 titles including Best Car In The World; Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota win other categories.

If there were any doubt that the Koreans had the know-how to make world-beating cars, this should put the matter to rest. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, a retro-futuristic electric SUV, has just been awarded World Car of the Year 2022, in an announcement made during the New York International Auto Show.

This comes a few weeks after its mechanically-related compatriot, the Kia EV6, scooped the award for European Car of the Year 2022.

With an overall score of 815 points, the Ioniq 5 edged out the EV6 (2nd place - 807 points) as well as the Ford Mustang Mach-E (3rd place - 773 points) to claim the title.

At the same time, the Ioniq 5 also scooped up the win in two more of the competition’s six categories overall: World EV of the Year, and World Car Design of the Year. The other categories were claimed by the Audi e-tron GT (World Performance Car of the Year), the Mercedes-Benz EQS (World Luxury Car of the Year), and the Toyota Yaris Cross (World Urban Car of the Year).

The Ioniq 5 is the first car to use Hyundai’s next-gen E-GMP platform. At roughly 4.6-metres long, it’s about the size of a Toyota Corolla, although its 3-metre wheelbase is longer than a BMW 5 Series or Mercedes E-Class, which gives it fantastic interior room. It’s available with two battery options (58kWh or 72.6kWh), giving it power outputs of between 168hp and 302hp, and range estimates of 320km to 481km.

Unfortunately, although there are 50 or so Ioniq 5s currently running around on our roads, you can’t actually buy one in Singapore at the moment. Instead, they’re all part of a pilot car subscription programme between SP Group, Hyundai, and local agent Komoco Motors, in which owners pay a monthly fee for 5 years and contribute their driving and usage data in exchange for a much lower overall car price.