Hyundai Motor’s semi-mid-sized sedan Avante was selected as the ‘2021 North American Car of the Year’. Hyundai Motor Company explained that it received one of the most prestigious awards in the automobile industry and became the world’s most recognized semi-mid-size car.
Hyundai Motor Company announced on the 12th that the Avante was selected as the’North American Car of the Year’ in the passenger car (sedan) category at an online awards ceremony. Along with Avante, the Genesis G80 and Nissan Centra were the finalists. The organizers evaluated Avante as “a vehicle that is popular in the sedan line,” and “the innovative design, advanced convenience specifications including digital keys, and excellent fuel economy are impressive.”
Avante also received this award in 2012. The only models that have won two or more awards since 1994, the North American Car of the Year awards ceremony, are the Chevrolet Corvette and Honda Civic. The new Avante (7th generation) was released last March. It is a complete change (full change) model released in 5 years. It is characterized by applying a new platform (frame) to increase the width by 25 mm and lower the vehicle height by 20 mm to emphasize the dynamics.
It is the sixth award for Korean brand vehicles. Hyundai Motor Company received this award three times: Genesis in 2009, Avante in 2012, and Kona in 2019. Genesis won the award once (G70 in 2019) since it was separated as an independent brand, and Kia Motors became the main character of this award with Telluride last year.
The North American Car of the Year Organizing Committee has been selecting the best cars ever released every year since 1994. The selection is divided into three categories: passenger (sedan), utility (SUV), and truck. The judges are made up of 50 automotive experts from the US and Canada.
The car of the year in the SUV category was the Ford Mustang Mach E. Genesis GV80 and Land Rover Defender were nominated. In the truck category, the Ford F-150 was selected as Car of the Year. An industry insider said, “Excluding the truck segment that does not release related products, three of the six final candidates for the North American Car of the Year (Avante, G80, GV80) are Korean brand vehicles.” Explained.
Kia Motors’ mid-sized SUV Sorento was also selected as the large SUV of the year at the ‘2021 Wakka Awards’ hosted by’Waka,’ a British automobile magazine. Wakka is the most authoritative medium in Europe. Kia Motors has won awards at the Wakka Awards for the fourth consecutive year since 2018.
Reporter Do Byeong-wook [email protected]
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