Non-European brand makes history: Kia achieves first-ever triple crown at the 2026 Golden Steering Wheel Awards

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kia achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the first non-European brand to win three awards in a single year at the 2026 Golden Steering Wheel Awards, which was jointly hosted by Germany’s leading automotive publications Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag.

At this year’s ceremony, marking its 50th edition, Kia demonstrated overwhelming product competitiveness across both electric and internal combustion engine models, achieving dazzling results in the global automotive market. In particular, this award is evaluated as a historic event that etched the outstanding technological prowess and design capabilities of the Korean automotive industry into the minds of the world at the heartland of European automobiles, setting the first record of a single non-European brand simultaneously dominating three major categories within one year.

Looking at the specific awards by category, the electric sport utility vehicle model EV5 took first place in the compact SUV category, defeating fierce competitors such as the Audi Q3 and Cupra Formento VZ5. Along with this, the K4 Sportswagon claimed the top spot in the compact car class, outperforming the Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and Cupra Born, while the global B-segment electric vehicle EV2 won the Best Car Under 30,000 Euros (approximately 44 million won) category based on the German market standard. A panel of 23 professional judges, composed of European celebrities such as World Rally Championship winners and active racing drivers, directly tested the vehicles at the DCR Lausitzring circuit, rigorously evaluating them from multiple perspectives including handling, ride comfort, ease of use, and everyday practicality.

Kia Chairman Song Ho-sung expressed his feelings, stating that it is a great honor to become the first non-European brand to achieve a triple crown on an authoritative stage with a 50-year history, and that it is meaningful to have their efforts recognized for providing strong product competitiveness across the vehicle lineup and valuable customer-centric options. The editor-in-chief of Auto Bild highly praised Kia, noting that the company holds a leading position in both pure electric vehicles and internal combustion engine models, supplying top-tier vehicles across various categories. Meanwhile, the EV2 recently made it to the final candidate list for the 2027 European Car of the Year, greatly raising expectations for the final results at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium next January.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.View Original