Kia achieved notable success at the 2024 iF Design Awards, which saw five separate elements of the company’s recent programs recognized by the renowned design forum’s panel of expert judges.
The new Kia EV9, already an award winner on multiple fronts, added to its honorable results with exclusive Gold award status. Presented only to the top 75 winning designs worldwide, the additional accolade demonstrates the continuing impact of Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy.
Harnessing the creative tension generated by the divergent values of nature and modernity to deliver a harmonious whole, Opposites United provides Kia’s designers with a framework through which to fuse a unique combination of sleek, sculptural shapes and assured, assertive geometry, delivering a strikingly contemporary yet gracefully serene end product.
“The EV9 represents our relentless push to break new ground in design, connectivity, and usability, as well as our responsibility to the environment,” added Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design. “Receiving this award is a recognition of the dedication and commitment of countless members of our team of designers and engineers; and highlights our drive to impact the industry and market with compelling, meaningful design.”
The EV9’s exterior exudes confidence, clarity, and calmness with its upright stance, clear-cut lines and flat surfaces. The signature Digital Tiger Face showcases a visionary and futuristic look, accentuated by the Digital Pattern Lighting Grille and vertical headlamps.
The interior, characterized by a flat floor and long wheelbase, takes advantage of the E-GMP platform to provide excellent spaciousness, while components such as the seats and center console are designed to give a refined feel and further maximize the sense of space.
Furthermore, the EV9’s cabin has been designed in line with Kia’s ‘three-stage sustainable design strategy’. Embodying the brand’s commitment to sustainability, the strategy aims to ensure the gradual reduction of animal-sourced leather, the introduction of Kia’s 10 must-have sustainability items, and the promotion of research into natural material development.
In awarding the EV9 the iF judges stated: “The Kia EV9 expands the aesthetic possibilities of a large SUV while advancing its functional performance. Its contemporary form language makes other large SUVs look old-fashioned, while swiveling second-row seats and a variety of smaller functional solutions make life on board more social! Who said sustainable design can’t be exciting?”
Echoing the EV9’s exterior design, the SUV’s ‘Ki’ infotainment system boasts a graphic style that aligns with the values of Opposites United and complements the vehicle’s design, employing eye-friendly, recognizable colors to round out a unique and contemporary brand experience for Kia. A winner in the Product Interfaces category, Ki is based around the key visual of a slanted line, representing rising tendencies and applied across all infotainment elements, from icons, to fonts, to the instrument cluster.
This diagonal edge promotes a distinctive and unified appearance while maintaining clarity and cognition. Designed to make new features such as electric vehicle charging more intuitive and readable, the display-optimized UI configuration makes it easier for users to recognize signal transitions and contextualize charging and discharging information.
In addition to the EV9’s successes, Kia was honored to have several other projects recognized by the iF judges including the branding for Kia’s ’80 years of movement’ communications, its ‘Windows of Inspiration’ trade fair booth design and ‘Kia EV Unplugged Ground’ interactive media experience. All iF Design Award winners demonstrate the vital role which strong design plays across the Kia brand.
All award-winning entries are presented on www.ifdesign.com and published in the iF Design App.
The iF Design Awards were founded in 1954 by iF International Forum Design GmbH in Hanover, one of the world’s leading independent design institutions. Each year around 10,800 designs from 72 nations are considered for the awards, which honor and celebrate winners in 81 categories across nine disciplines: Product, Communication, Packaging, Service Design, Architecture, Interior Architecture, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI) and Professional Concepts. To be win an iF Design Award requires passing a rigorous two-stage selection process adjudicated by renowned design experts, signifying a design’s contemporary relevance and global impact.
