Kia Receives Esteemed 2024 Car Design Award for ‘Opposites United’ Brand Design Language:
- Kia Design recognized with prestigious award during Milan Design Week ceremony.
- This success underscores the aesthetic value of Kia’s ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy.
- Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design, accepts the accolade on behalf of Kia.
April 18, 2024 – Kia Corporation (Kia) has been honored at the 2024 Car Design Award ceremony, winning the prestigious award for ‘Brand Design Language.’
As a significant aspect of its acclaimed brand relaunch, Kia introduced its groundbreaking design philosophy, ‘Opposites United,’ in 2021. This design philosophy embraces three energies – tension, harmony, and dynamism – to cultivate fresh perspectives and inspire new ideas from the contrasting forces experienced in everyday life.
Kia’s consistent design direction, communicated through differentiated product designs under the ‘Opposites United’ philosophy, has been recognized. Aligned with its commitment to offering sustainable mobility solutions, this philosophy unifies design ideas and customer value across Kia’s leading vehicles in the market.
The jury of the Car Design Award 2024 commented, “With its ‘Opposites United’ philosophy, Kia design has taken a non-conformist approach, aiming to provoke change without fear of taking risks. At first glance unexpected, Kia’s new models break the mold of long-established aesthetic norms to introduce a completely new and modern formal language. A relentless pursuit of innovation to establish a new identity.”
Among Kia’s recent vehicles honored for outstanding design, the EV9 has received two of the world’s top three automobile awards: the ‘2024 World Car of the Year’ and the ‘2024 North American Car, Utility, and Truck of the Year.’ Additionally, the EV9 secured the prestigious Gold at the iF Design Awards.
“Embracing the spirit of ‘Opposites United,’ Kia Design aims to harness the power of design to shape a future of mobility that is both innovative and sustainable; one that seeks to enhance people’s lives,” stated Karim Habib, Executive Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design.
Karim expressed gratitude, saying, “This award is a testament to the motivation and dedication of numerous members of our global team, driven to impact the industry with relevant and meaningful design. We are grateful to be a brand that acknowledges the profound impact design can have, prioritizing sustainable, user-centered design.”
Established in the 1980s, the Car Design Award serves as a global recognition for design teams behind the best concept cars, production vehicles, and overall design language in the industry. The jury, consisting of journalists from internationally acclaimed automotive and design publications, selects only 10 production car and 10 concept car projects from the previous year, along with the design language of just five brands, for consideration as finalists.
The winners of the 2024 Car Design Award were unveiled at a ceremony at the ADI Design Museum in Milan during this year’s Milan Design Week. Karim Habib, Head of Kia Global Design and Executive Vice President, represented Kia Design at the ceremony to accept the award.
During Milan Design Week, from April 15 to 21, Kia is showcasing a Design Cultural Communication Project inspired by its ‘Opposites United’ design philosophy.