Kia’s drive for success continues at the 4×4 of the Year Awards 2025, presented by Overlander 4×4 magazine, this year, taking home three titles overall: ‘Best Large SUV’ for the Sorento, ‘Best Electric SUV’ for the new EV6, and for the third year in a row, ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ for Kia.
This is the second time Kia has been named ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ in the past month*. With a wide variety of models to choose from, including several SUVs, Kia offers a strong line-up with one of the broadest powertrain options, including ICE, MHEV, HEV, PHEV and EV. Many of Kia’s fully electric cars are available with four-wheel drive, and so too is the brand’s best-selling SUV, the Sportage, and large SUV, the Sorento.
Taking home the 4×4 of the Year Awards’ ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ title for the third year in a row truly demonstrates how Kia continues to exceed in the ever-changing motor industry with its strong product line-up, future vision and customer centric business approach. Currently ranking as the fourth most popular brand in the UK year-to-date, Kia UK has surpassed 100,000 new car sales for the third year in a row, with electrified models (EV, HEV and PHEV) accounting for 50% of sales.
Alan Kidd, Editor of Overlander 4×4 magazine, commented: “Nobody had ever won Manufacturer of the Year twice in a row, but now Kia’s got a hat-trick. They’ve got an instinctive grasp of what an SUV should be and they put it into every model they make.
“The only thing they’ve not got in their range is a proper off-road machine. You wouldn’t actually put it past them, with the growth of so-called Rugged Utility Vehicles – and you just know that if they did do it, they’d do it well.”
The 4×4 of the Year Awards winners include vehicles that have been tested over the past 12 months and are then carefully judged by the Overlander 4×4 team to determine which is the worthy winner of each category. The category, ‘Best Electric SUV’ is a new addition to the categories this year, making the new EV6 the inaugural winner of this important award.
The new EV6 features a larger battery pack over its predecessor, now with a capacity of 84.0kWh (up from 77.4kWh). In entry level ‘Air’ grade, the battery pack powers a single motor, producing 225bhp and 350Nm torque via the rear wheels delivering an impressive range of up to 361 miles** on a single charge. Featuring an improved battery charging curve over its predecessor, with cutting-edge 800V technology and a peak charging performance of 258kW (+8% compared to previous EV6 – 239kW), the new 84.0kWh battery can be recharged from 10-80% in 18 minutes and customers can gain up to 214 miles in just 15 minutes***.
Kidd said: “There’s an old saying: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ The EV6 was definitely not broke but Kia fixed it anyway and rather than messing it up, they’ve made a good vehicle great.
“It looks good, the cabin feels really special and the practicalities of having an EV have never been less hassle. Most of all, it’s beautifully driveable. Even the most hate-filled EV sceptic would struggle not to be won over.”
The Kia Sorento, winner of ‘Best Large SUV’, celebrates its 21st birthday this year. The fourth-generation car first went on sale in August 2020 and now benefits from a refreshed exterior and interior, and an expanded specification line-up. The Kia Sorento is a consistently popular model for Kia in the UK, and abroad, and has helped transform perceptions of the brand in recent years.
Kidd added: “When we put people in the Sorento without them knowing what it is, they think it’s from a premium brand. Every time. It looks and feels so solid and sorted, and that’s how it drives as well.
“The Sorento has always been very good at being big. This one’s the best yet. Its new styling gives it real presence, and if you can’t fit all your family in it you need to start putting bromide in your tea.”
