We’re not designers nor sit on any best car boards. But we know this: Hyundai is unleashing some of the best-looking electric vehicles right now. Including the IONIQ 5 we drove back in 2021, flossing a futuristic design with bold looks, and unlike any other small EV at the moment. Now, the Korean automaker’s design efforts are being celebrated, again.
SangYup Lee, the Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, has been named the 2023 World Car Person of the Year by the World Car Awards (WCA) jury panel. Lee is being recognized for his contribution to the global automotive industry through his innovative designs and strong leadership in shaping Hyundai’s new design language.
Back-to-back wins for Hyundai
This is the second consecutive year that Hyundai Motor Group has won the World Car Person of the Year award, following Luc Donckerwolke’s win in 2022. Lee’s recognition comes from his work on stunning concept and production cars unveiled in 2022, such as the IONIQ 6, the all-new KONA, and the N Vision 74. The IONIQ 5, which Lee led the design for, also received several honours at the New York International Auto Show last year.
The WCA jury panel, which consists of over 100 industry experts and journalists, noted Lee’s strong design philosophy, vision, and leadership as instrumental in creating Hyundai’s new design language and contributing to the brand’s recent successes. Lee continues to be a driving force behind the brand’s commitment to creating iconic and emotional designs.
In accepting the award, Lee stated that the honour was not just for him but for the collective passion for creativity encouraged by the dedication of Hyundai’s top management. He also praised the many talented people who contribute to making Hyundai Design what it is today, saying that “each design team member provides invaluable support to deliver successful results.”
The eligibility for the World Car Person of the Year award is based on candidates having made a significant contribution to the global automotive industry with global repercussions during the period of Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. This contribution could include a significant impact on their brand or company, significant safety, engineering, design, or technical advancement, or other significant benefits for the consumer.
Lee’s win highlights the importance of design in the automotive industry and its impact on the success of a brand. Hyundai’s commitment to creating iconic and emotional designs has resulted in a string of successes in recent years, and Lee’s leadership has been instrumental in this achievement. As Lee noted, Hyundai’s greatest achievements lie ahead, and it will be exciting to see what innovative designs he and his team come up with in the future.
While winning awards is a huge corporate win, it’s a bigger big for consumers looking for not just great range and performance, but an electric vehicle that’s well-designed both inside and out. So far, Hyundai is nailing it in that department, with more vehicles to come, including a new 7-seater EV SUV. Stay tuned.
