Kia Niro named 2023 Carbuyer Car(s!) of the Year

●       New Kia Niro - available with hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric power - named best car on sale by leading car consumer website

●       Niro sweeps the board, winning small family car, hybrid car, and overall Car of the Year categories

●       Full details announced exclusively on Carbuyer.co.uk today

The new Kia Niro has been named the best new car on sale by leading car buying advice website Carbuyer.co.uk. The Niro, which is available with a choice of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully-electric powertrains, scooped no fewer than three of the 18 categories on offer.

Carbuyer's judges could hardly believe the transformation Kia has made with this latest Niro. Editor, Richard Ingram, said: "Our favourite small family car, our top hybrid, and of course our overall Car of the Year, the fabulous new Niro builds on everything we loved about the old one, but with sharper styling, and a cutting-edge interior.

"It remains a practical, efficient and easy to drive family car - with a powertrain to suit all buyers. The Kia Niro is a most deserving winner of our 2023 Car of the Year award."

Kia UK President and CEO, Paul Philpott, commented: "Following on from the ever successful first-generation Niro family, the all-new version has earned a highly positive response in a short period of time. To be named Carbuyer's overall Car of the Year and topping two other categories, just months after its UK launch, is a remarkable achievement - and something we and our nationwide dealer partners take huge pride from. 

Kia wasn't the only Korean manufacturer to make a splash at this year's Carbuyer Best Car Awards. The Hyundai Tucson - Carbuyer's overall Car of the Year just 12 months ago - was awarded Best Family Car, while the Hyundai i20 N scooped Best Hot Hatchback for the second year in a row. Finally, the SsangYong Musso was awarded Carbuyer's Best Pickup prize thanks to its strong value, practicality, and generous kit list.

Skoda seems to once again be pulling out all the stops, as the Fabia supermini and recently updated Kodiaq SUV fought off strong competition to win Best Small Car and Best Large Family Car respectively. The Skoda Octavia Estate topped the Best Estate Car category. 

Relative newcomer Cupra took no fewer than two awards this year, winning the coveted Best Small Company Car prize for the new Born electric hatchback, as well as Best Hot SUV for the Formentor. The latter is available with a wide range of engines, including a fire-breathing 306bhp 2.0-litre turbo taken from the Volkswagen Golf R.

Elsewhere, BMW walked away with two gongs; the all-new i4 won Best Company Car, while the latest 2 Series Coupe bagged Best Sports Car. Sister brand MINI once again took the honours for Best Convertible.

Of course, electric cars are playing an increasingly important role in the Carbuyer Best Car Awards, and with three new winners for 2023, it's clear the pace of change is quite unlike anything we've seen before in the marketplace. The new Fiat 500 won Carbuyer's Best Small Electric Car category, with the new MG ZS EV taking the Best Family Electric Car title. The Nissan Ariya was Carbuyer's favourite Large Electric Car - demonstrating the huge progress the brand has made since the original Leaf launched over a decade ago.

But Carbuyer recognises that not everyone is ready to make the switch, and as such, made sure to recognise the burgeoning plug-in hybrid market by handing out a pair of trophies to the very best PHEVs currently on sale. The Mercedes C 300 e and Lexus NX 450h+ won Best Plug-in Hybrid and Best Large Plug-in Hybrid respectively.

Carbuyer continues to go from strength to strength setting the online benchmark for easy-to-understand news, reviews and tips and advice, and remains the only automotive website approved by the Plain English Campaign. Almost one million users visit Carbuyer.co.uk every month, and its YouTube channel now has almost 620,000 subscribers.

You can see the full list of winners, as well as watch the 2023 Carbuyer Best Car Awards video at https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/best-car-awards-2023 now. Carbuyer will be announcing its Used Car Awards - celebrating the very best second-hand car buys - on 11 October.

​​Carbuyer Car of the Year 2023 winners

For more information or for further comment, please contact Richard Ingram, Editor, Carbuyer.

Richard_ingram@autovia.co.uk

ENDS