Kia, Porsche lead at global SUV, high-performance awards

Two automakers, Kia and Porsche, emerged as the ultimate winners at the 2020 World Car Awards, taking home the world car of the year and the performance car prizes respectively.

In a live-streamed ceremony, Kia won with the 2020 Telluride, an all-new three-row midsize SUV, which is the brand’s new biggest vehicle.

Porsche clinched the world car performance prize with the Taycan, beating its other siblings in the race – the 911, 718 Cayman GT4 and Spyder.

Kia Telluride currently making waves in North America, according to a report by MSN Autos, was up against two Mazda models in the final three: the Mazda3 hatchback and CX-30 crossover SUV.

“However, the Telluride’s combination of luxury, value, standout design and excellent driving characteristics won through,” it states.

This year’s winner was reportedly chosen from an entry list of 29 vehicles from all over the world. About 86 jurors from 24 countries were also said to have voted to determine the winner.

The Telluride takes over from Jaguar’s all-electric I-Pace that was declared the winner last year.

Telluride, which is said to be about the same size as a Honda Pilot was introduced to the market to address shortcomings of larger size and interior capacity of the Kia Sorento.

The Telluride can seat up to eight passengers and it offers a maximum of 87 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

It comes with a 291-horsepower V6 as standard and plenty of advanced driver safety features, says an online auto journal, Edmund.com, in its review.

It says, “The interior design is upscale, and Kia is also offering some family-focused features such as an available driver intercom system.”

The vehicle is said to drive well; has plenty of utility and a pleasant passenger space.

Executive Vice President at Kia Motors Corporation, Thomas Schemera, was quoted as saying, “It is a great honour for us to see the Telluride named 2020 World Car of the Year. This is one of the hardest-fought competitions in the global automotive industry, proving that the Telluride is a truly outstanding vehicle.

“This accolade is testament to the talents and efforts of a worldwide team, who all strive to create desirable, high-quality and practical cars that drivers love.”

For the Porsche, its victory at the event in the performance car category is symbolic having won the prize in five previous editions

Porsche was said to be in the running again for the World Luxury Car prize. The Taycan was lined up alongside the Porsche 911 and Mercedes-Benz EQC.

“And Porsche won once again with the Taycan, which is proving to be a pivotal all-electric car for this famous German brand,” the report states.

Many auto reviewers attest to the fact that Taycan is a high-performance electric car and considered the first true all-electric rival to the Tesla Model S.

According to caranddriver.com, the 2020 Porsche Taycan delivers incredible acceleration, precise handling and aggressive styling.

“The Taycan is the first production electric vehicle to use a two-speed transmission and an 800-volt electrical system, which allow for quicker acceleration and shorter recharge time. In theory, the Taycan is the first real challenger to the Tesla Model S,” it states.

For cars.usnew.com, The 2020 Porsche Taycan ranks near the top of the luxury hybrid and electric car class, adding that the vehicle has a high-end cabin, comfortable seats and quick acceleration.