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Kia has kicked off 2026 in spectacular fashion, taking home four major titles at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Awards. The Sportage, EV3 and PV5 Passenger all secured category wins, while the EV9 added to the celebrations with a highly praised class victory—firmly cementing Kia’s status as one of the most awarded manufacturers in the UK market.
The brand’s momentum follows a record-breaking 2025, which saw Kia sell 113,436 new cars in the UK, achieve a strong 5.6% market share, and introduce nine new models, including the latest-generation Sportage and the all-new PV5.
For the fourth year in a row, the iconic Kia Sportage has been named What Car?’s “Family SUV of the Year”. Fresh from its 2025 facelift, the Sportage continues to impress with its EV-inspired styling, smart technologies and unbeatable value.
What Car?’s expert judging panel praised its “superb balance between comfort and agility” and its “practical, smartly finished interior”—all with a “very tempting price”.
The UK agrees: with 47,788 registrations in 2025, the Sportage was not only Kia’s best-selling model, but the nation’s favourite SUV.
The brand-new Kia PV5 Passenger has made an immediate impact, collecting the MPV of the Year title just months after reaching UK customers.
Critics applauded its cavernous interior, family-friendly storage solutions and smooth ride quality. What Car? hailed it as “big, clever, and superbly equipped”—particularly praising its user-friendly tech and optional vehicle-to-load charging.
Built on Kia’s innovative E‑GMP.S platform, the PV5 Passenger offers both standard- and long-range battery options, with a seven-seat version set to join the lineup later in 2026.
For the second year running, the Kia EV3 has been crowned Small Electric SUV of the Year, seeing off a wave of new rivals with ease.
Judges highlighted its practicality, high seating position and outstanding ride comfort, noting that even entry-level models deliver strong real-world range.
In 2025, its first full year on sale, the EV3 became Kia’s best‑selling EV, with 11,188 registrations and a top-three position in the UK retail EV market.
The flagship Kia EV9 has continued its award-winning streak with a category win for Best electric seven-seat SUV. Judges applauded its genuine adult-friendly seven-seat layout, impressive real-world range of 314 miles, and ultra-fast charging capability.
Across the EV3, EV4, EV6, EV9, PV5 and Sportage, Kia has now collected 13 What Car? awards in the past four years alone—a remarkable achievement as the brand continues its rapid evolution.