Kia Achieves Double Win at the 2025 Auto Express New Car Awards

• Kia EV3 awarded ‘Small Company Car of the Year’ for its sharp design, everyday practicality and convincing electric range
• Kia Picanto wins ‘City Car of the Year’, praised for its fun driving dynamics and broad appeal
• Awards reflect Kia’s commitment to delivering accessible, innovative vehicles across all segments

Kia Corporation (Kia) continues its strong momentum with two significant wins at the 2025 Auto Express New Car Awards. The Kia EV3 has been crowned ‘Small Company Car of the Year’, while the Kia Picanto takes top honors as ‘City Car of the Year’ — further strengthening the brand’s reputation for innovation, practicality and broad customer appeal.

The Auto Express New Car Awards are a well-respected fixture in the automotive calendar, celebrating standout vehicles across 30 categories. Judged by a panel of expert reviewers, the awards recognize the cars they most confidently recommend — based on price, efficiency, safety, connectivity, reliability and driving enjoyment.

Applauding both winners, Auto Express editor Paul Barker said of the Picanto: “The recent revamp of Kia’s smallest model reminded us why we love small cars so much. The Picanto is fun, but also feels grown up on the open road, so isn’t a car that has to stay in urban confines.”

On the standout EV3, he added: “The EV3 has continued Kia’s impressive record with its electric cars, and looks great, is practical and has the range that means higher-mileage drivers aren’t going to baulk at going electric.”

These awards underscore Kia’s unwavering commitment to providing customers with practical and accessible vehicles across a range of market sectors. While other manufacturers reduce their presence in the compact car segment, Kia continues to invest in models like the Picanto to meet the needs of drivers seeking smaller, more efficient mobility.

The EV3’s success builds on the momentum of its larger sibling, the EV9, which was named Large Company Car of the Year at the 2024 Auto Express New Car Awards.

Furthermore, since its global debut last year, the EV3 has gained international recognition — earning titles such as 2025 World Car of the Year and Red Dot’s ‘Best of the Best’. In the UK, it became the best-selling EV in the retail market in Q1 and was named 2025 UK Car of the Year, mirroring the achievements of the EV9 just a year earlier.

With a rapidly growing EV line-up and continued recognition from industry leaders, Kia continues to strengthen its position as a key player in the automotive landscape.