Kia Corporation

• Kia Design honored with internationally recognized award at ceremony during Milan Design Week
• Success is latest recognition of aesthetic value delivered by Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy
• Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design, Karim Habib, collects accolade on behalf of Kia

Kia Corporation (Kia) has been honored at the 2024 Car Design Award ceremony, receiving the prestigious accolade for ‘Brand Design Language’.

As part of its much lauded brand relaunch, Kia unveiled its revolutionary new design philosophy, ‘Opposites United,’ in 2021. The design philosophy harnesses three energies – tension, harmony, and dynamism – to create fresh perspectives and develop new ideas inspired by the contradicting forces experienced in daily life.

Kia has been recognized for communicating consistent design directions by launching differentiated product designs under the ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy. In line with its vision to provide sustainable mobility solutions, the philosophy consolidates the design ideas and customer value throughout the Kia’s market-leading vehicles.

“With its Opposite United philosophy, Kia design has taken a non-conformist approach with the aim of inducing change, unafraid of taking risks. Unexpected at first sight, Kia’s new models break the mould with long-established aesthetic parameters to introduce a totally new and modern formal language. A relentless innovation to establish a new identity,” the juries of Car Design Award 2024 stated.

Among the Kia’s new vehicles that have recently been honored for their excellent design, EV9 won two of the world’s top three automobile awards, including the ‘2024 World Car of the Year’ and the ‘2024 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year’. Kia also won the iF Design Awards with EV9 taking prestigious Gold.

“Embracing the spirit of Opposites United, Kia Design tries to harness the power of design to shape a future of mobility that is both innovative and sustainable; one that tries to make people’s lives easier and better,” said Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design.

“This award is a recognition of the motivation and dedication of countless members of our global team who are driven to impact the industry with relevant and meaningful design. We are thankful that we are a brand that recognizes the profound influence that design can have, as we prioritize sustainable, user-centered design,” Karim said.

Since its inception in the 1980s, the Car Design Award has served as global recognition for the design teams responsible for the best concept cars, production vehicles, and overall design language on offer. The jury, comprised of journalists from internationally renowned automotive and design magazines, selects only 10 production car and 10 concept car projects from the past year, as well as the design language of just five brands, for consideration as finalists.

The winners of the 2024 Car Design Award were announced at a ceremony in on at the ADI Design Museum in Milan during this year’s Milan Design Week. Head of Kia Global Design and Executive Vice President, Karim Habib, attended the ceremony on behalf of Kia Design to receive the award.

During Milan Design Week, from April 15 to 21, Kia is presenting a Design Cultural Communication Project inspired by its Opposites United design philosophy.