Kia Motors revealed this week that the 2013 Kia Optima was named the International Car of the Year at the 2013 North American International Auto Show by Road & Travel Magazine.
The magazine hands out ICOTY awards a year to new or existing vehicles that have been modified significantly according to a Kia press release. The awards are judged by automotive journalist from publications like MSN Autos, Consumer Guide Automotive, and Car and Driver.
"The Kia Optima rose to the top of the list as the most emotionally compelling vehicle above all others," said Courtney Caldwell, Road and Travel Magazine's Editor-in-Chief in a Kia press release. "Its functional yet sleek design as well as advanced features intertwines effortlessly with consumer lifestyles on many levels, qualities we look for when considering contenders for the ICOTY awards."
Click here to learn more about the new vehicle.
Kia Motors is one of three auto brands to increase sales in the U.S. for over four years and in 2012 Kia sold over 500,000 vehicles. The company has shown their commitment to improving sales in the U.S. the past decade by investing over $1.4 billion. They've also created their first U.S. assembly plant in West Point, Georgia to help meet high product demands for vehicles like the Optima, Rio and Sedona minivan.
"We are thrilled that our best-selling Optima has earned the distinction of being named International Car of the Year by Road & Travel Magazine, further elevating its status in the midsize segment," said Michael Sprague , executive vice president of marketing and communications, KMA in the press release. "The Optima continues to attract new customers to the Kia brand by offering an impressive combination of design, performance, comfort and technology. All of this while still maintaining Kia's unmatched value proposition."
The Optima has won a number of different awards this year, including the 2012 "Best New Car Value" award from Kiplinger's Personal Finance. The vehicle also won "Sedan of the Year" by Autobytel.com and "Top Drives for 2012" by the Boston Globe.
Related Articles:
Detroit Auto Show Update: Kia Announces 2014 Cadenza At North American International Auto Show (VIDEO)
2014 Chevrolet Stingray: Corvette Returns To NYC With New Model, 60 Years After Motorama Debut (PHOTOS)
Earnhardt Jr.'s Big Wreck: Dale Takes Out 12 Cars At Daytona Test (VIDEO)
Detroit Auto Show: New Vehicles Expected To Be Released At NAIAS, Including New Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz
Ford Plans To Hire 2,200 New Workers In U.S. In 2013 To Meet Growing Demand For New Vehicles
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?
