Hyundai Ioniq 5, Santa Fe bag category wins in Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards

MANILA: Hyundai won three awards in the 2023 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 won two categories this year: the New Model and the Electric Vehicle categories. The Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, took the crown in the Two-Row Midsize SUV category.

The Best Buy Awards are the result of thorough testing and expert evaluation of almost every new vehicle on the market. The comprehensive process includes analysis of car-related data, including vehicle transaction pricing, Five-Year Cost-to-Own statistics, customer feedback, ratings, and retail sales information.

This year, Kelly Blue Book teamed up with NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger. Breidinger drove the Hyundai Ioniq 5 with the editors of Kelley Blue Book, expressing her thoughts and observations of the vehicle as she assessed it from the perspective of a racecar driver.

“The goal for the Ioniq 5 was to exceed our customers’ expectations when compared with a similar ICE-powered SUV. We wanted to give them something special and Ioniq 5’s design, ultra-fast charging, spacious interior and driving range of more than 300 miles (with select RWD trims) does just that, and Santa Fe is an outstanding family SUV with great looks,” Hyundai Motor North America Product Planning Director Ricky Lao stated.

The Ioniq 5 is the first model in Korean automaker’s Ioniq brand. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 features a long wheelbase, eco-friendly interior features, modern driver assistance and safety features, and a powerful performance with ultra-fast charging and a Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) function.

“With more than 300 miles of range with select RWD trims, a spacious, tech-filled interior and an impressive starting price, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 shows how easy it can be for someone to go all electric,” Kelley Blue Book said in a statement. “You can even go from 10% charge to 80% in as little as 18 minutes under optimum charging conditions. The Hyundai Ioniq 5’s retro-inspired styling turns heads, but the 303-mile range combined with its impressive, easy-to-use tech and spacious interior at a good price solidify this vehicle as a Best Buy.”

“The number of electric vehicles available to new-car shoppers continues to increase at a staggering pace, and the competition continues to get hotter as these efficient rides gain popularity among consumers. Our team was so impressed with the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 5 during this year’s Best Buy Awards testing that we didn’t just give it the title of Best Electric Vehicle for 2023, it also earned our Best New Model trophy. It is truly a vehicle that exemplifies how easy it can be now to go all-electric, boasting the kind of impressive range and tech features that consumers have come to expect, and offering terrific value relative to the competition,” Kelley Blue Book Reviews and Ratings Principal Editor Jason Allan said.

“As a lifelong automotive enthusiast, it was a thrill to join the experts from Kelley Blue Book for a day to put the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 to the test,” Breidinger said. “The spacious interior and extended dashboard really stood out to me. Most importantly, I appreciated the all-electric range. After a test day with the Ioniq 5, I can confirm this year’s Best New Model is racer-approved.”

The Hyundai Santa Fe, on the other hand, comes with advanced standard features such as Highway Driving Assist, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, dynamic voice recognition, and over-the-air map updates.

The US-spec Hyundai Santa Fe is offered with three powertrain options: a 191hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine; a 281hp, turbocharged engine; and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder combined with an electric motor.

“We recognize not only the immense value of this five-passenger SUV but also its wide appeal,” Kelley Blue Book stated. “Hyundai hangs its collective hat on its value story, and nowhere is that value more apparent than in the level and quality of its technology. To find an SUV at this price point with this degree of attention to detail inside and out is a tribute to Hyundai’s genius for making every dollar count.”

Established in 1926, Kelley Blue Book serves as the go-to resource for customers and the auto industry for information and evaluation on vehicles. Kelley Blue Book, the industry standard for decades, offers customers, car dealers, and manufacturers transparent, unbiased information along with data-driven, cutting-edge tools. On its highly regarded website KBB.com, the company posts millions of market-reflective values each week, including its well-known Blue Book Trade-In Values and the Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor tool, which provides a range for what customers might anticipate to pay for a vehicle in their area.

Photos from Hyundai Motor North America

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