Kia Corporation

• Kia EV9 wins 2023 Good Design Award in Transportation category
• EV9’s ‘Ki’ infotainment system claims 2023 Good Design Award in Interactive Media category
• Results mark latest success for Kia’s transformative ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy
• Kia seeks to empower customers with exciting products, innovative in-car spaces, and convenient services

Kia has claimed two prestigious accolades at the Good Design Awards 2023, recognizing the brand’s dedication to emotive and engaging design as expressed through its transformative ‘Opposites United’ philosophy. 

Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy was first revealed in 2021, taking inspiration from the contrasts found in nature and humanity. The philosophy transcends the design of the company’s vehicles, communicating its determination to compatibly further two vital fields that have come to be at odds with one another – human wellbeing and environmental sustainability. The groundbreaking design philosophy was first embodied by the award-winning EV6 and will be seen across the brand’s targeted lineup of 15 fully-electric models by 2027.

In the case of the EV9’s design, this is denoted by simple, clear-cut lines and surfaces which exude confidence, clarity, and calmness in equal measure, as well as a signature ‘Digital Tiger Face,’ which delivers a visionary and futuristic look and feel. 

Kia’s designers strove to bestow the seven-seat EV9 with unprecedented visual appeal, uniquely harmonizing the agility of an EV with the robustness of an SUV and increasing space utilization with a sleek profile. They also implemented a rugged yet refined exterior design by utilizing the visual symbolism of polygons and triangles.

“With the EV9 we aimed to create a fresh design which not only broke new ground, but instinctively communicated the purity, practicality and safety of the vehicle within,” said Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design.“This is in keeping with Kia’s overarching design philosophy, which seeks to empower users to make the most of their lives by providing exciting products, innovative in-car spaces, and convenient services that inspire customers and free them to pursue the activities that they enjoy most.”

The EV9’s Kia infotainment system ‘Ki’ emphasizes the brand’s identity with a focus on the visual concepts of Opposites United. A slanted line that represents rising tendencies is applied across infotainment elements, from icons, to fonts, to the instrument cluster, as a key visual. 

This diagonal edge promotes a distinctive and unified appearance while maintaining clarity and cognition. Electric vehicle (EV) charging and vehicle to load (V2L) user experience (UX) is designed to be more intuitive and readable with a panoramic display-optimized UI configuration, making it easier for users to recognize signal transitions and contextualize charging and discharging information. A graphic style has also been unearthed that not only aligns with Kia’s brand aspirations but also complements the vehicle’s design, employing eye-friendly, recognizable colors to round out a unique and contemporary brand experience for Kia.

“With this intuitive and attractive design, we’ve provided a familiar and comfortable interface for our customers to enhance their overall experience,” said Haeyoung Kwon, Vice President and Head of Infotainment Development Center. “We are proud to offer these award-winning features that truly prioritize the needs and satisfaction of our valued customers.”

Celebrating its 73^rd anniversary, the Good Design Awards program is one of the longest-running design competitions in the world. Every year, the program selects a list of the very best product designs and graphics that have chartered new directions for innovation and pushed the envelope for competitive products in the world marketplace. For more information about the Good Design Awards, please visit the official website: https://www.good-designawards.com/