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Electrified Hyundai IONIQ 9 is Germany's Premium Car of the Year
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Electrified Hyundai IONIQ 9 is Germany's Premium Car of the Year
Electrified Hyundai IONIQ 9 is Germany's Premium Car of the Year
Offenbach am Main, October 14, 2025 – Just three months after its market launch in Germany, the all-electric SUV Hyundai IONIQ 9 has won the coveted title of ‘German Premium Car of the Year 2026’. The three-row electric SUV clearly stood out from the competition with strong overall ratings. It impressed the independent GCOTY jury with its elegant, aerodynamic exterior design, pioneering fast-charging technology and a lounge-like interior that offers drivers and passengers numerous comfortable and high-quality personalisation options.
“We are truly honoured to see our all-electric flagship recognised with such a prestigious award so soon after its debut in Europe. At the top of our range, IONIQ 9 reflects what we stand for: innovative design, a progressive mindset, and a commitment to human-centred, sustainable mobility,” said Xavier Martinet, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Europe. “Awards like this remind us we’re on the right track, driving us to keep pushing boundaries and create electric vehicles that inspire confidence, connection, and pride in every drive. IONIQ 9 shows just how far our brand has come in the past decade, and our commitment to continue leading the way in electrified mobility."
Setting new standards in the premium segment: space, design, EV technology
IONIQ 9 is the flagship of the Hyundai IONIQ model family and sets standards in terms of sleek design, high-quality features and driving range. While the exterior design combines aerodynamic innovation with futuristic elegance, the three-row interior offers a lounge-like experience with space for either six or seven occupants and their luggage. IONIQ 9 is based on Hyundai's award-winning E-GMP architecture. The 800-volt technology guarantees ultra-fast charging; at appropriate fast-charging stations, the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in just 24 minutes. With the latest generation of the Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC), IONIQ 9 offers a variety of digital functions, such as AI-supported voice recognition.
About GCOTY
The GCOTY jury consists of around 40 experienced and independent motor journalists. Based on extensive test drives, they select the class winners in the categories “Compact”, “Premium”, “Luxury”, “New Energy” and “Performance”. The five models have been selected from all the major new launches of the past twelve months. The overall winner of all “German Car of the Year” categories will be presented in November 2025.
About Hyundai Motor Europe HQ
Hyundai Motor Europe HQ was formally established in 2000, with its main office located in Offenbach, Germany. Serving as the regional headquarters, it is responsible for the sale of vehicles in 47 European countries through 2,279 sales outlets, maintaining a 4.1-per-cent market share throughout the first half of 2024. More than 70 per cent of Hyundai vehicles sold in the region are models engineered, tested, and manufactured in Europe, tailored to meet the specific needs of European customers. These vehicles are produced at the company’s Czech and Turkish production plants.
In 2023, approximately 14 per cent of Hyundai cars sold in Europe were zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles (BEVs and FCEVs), including respective World Car of the Year 2022 and 2023 winners, IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 6. This solidifies Hyundai’s position as one of the leading manufacturers in terms of both fleet share and total sales of zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles in Europe as the company undergoes a transformation into a Smart Mobility Solutions Provider. Moreover, about 85 per cent of Hyundai’s current line-up in Europe is available as an electrified version.
With a focus on its vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’ and a clear commitment to exclusively sell zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles within Europe by 2035, Hyundai is set to introduce more BEVs to its electric line-up. In 2024, the award-winning IONIQ 5 N, Hyundai’s first high-performance mass-production BEV, entered the European markets, and the all-electric city car, INSTER, will follow later this year.
Hyundai offers a unique Five-Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty package with all new cars sold in the region. This package includes a five-year warranty with no mileage limit, five years of roadside assistance, and five years of vehicle health checks, providing customers with added peace of mind.
More information about Hyundai Motor Europe HQ and its products is available at www.hyundai.news.
Follow Hyundai Motor Europe HQ on X @HyundaiEurope and Instagram @Hyundai.Europe
Press contact
Conor Twomey
Head of Product PR
Conor.Twomey@hyundai-europe.com
Adrian Péré
Product PR Manager
About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero-emission vehicles with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai
Follow our Hyundai Global Newsroom Instagram channel @hyundai_mediahub
Sunwoo Kim
sunwookim@hyundai.com
Global PR Contents · Hyundai Motor Company
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