“The World Can’t Ignore Them Anymore — Hyundai & Kia Just Redefined Car Design!”
Hyundai & Kia Dominate 2025 IDEA Awards, Redefining Global Automotive Design
Table of Contents
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A Record-Breaking Achievement
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Kia PV5 WKNDR — Adventure Meets Modularity
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Hyundai IONIQ 9 — Sculpted by Air, Built for the Future
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Palisade & INITIUM — Family Comfort Meets Future Energy
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Beyond Cars — A Design Ecosystem Expanding Across Fields
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Future Design Philosophy — Beyond Mobility
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Hyundai & Kia: Redefining What Design Means in the Mobility Era
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Final Thought
A Record-Breaking Achievement
The 2025 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), once again proved that South Korea’s automotive powerhouses — Hyundai and Kia — are now leading the global design conversation.
Together, they claimed a total of nine awards across multiple categories, from mobility and sustainability to architecture and UX innovation.
This wasn’t just about beautiful cars — it was about a new philosophy of design that fuses technology, humanity, and future mobility.
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| International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) |
Kia PV5 WKNDR — Adventure Meets Modularity
Among the winners, the Kia PV5 WKNDR concept stole the spotlight, earning a Silver Award in the Automotive & Transportation category.
Kia describes it as “more than a car — a platform for life.”
Built on the brand’s next-generation Purpose Built Vehicle (PBV) platform, the PV5 WKNDR allows complete customization of interior and exterior layouts. Its modular structure, solar roof, and multi-mode transformation system let users turn it into a camper, mobile café, or creative workspace in seconds.
The WKNDR embodies Kia’s new design identity, “Opposites United” — blending nature and technology, emotion and practicality. For outdoor enthusiasts and digital nomads, this electric off-road van is not just a vehicle, but a statement of freedom.
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| Kia PV5 WKNDR concept |
Hyundai IONIQ 9 — Sculpted by Air, Built for the Future
Hyundai’s IONIQ 9, awarded Bronze in the Automotive category, is the brand’s boldest electric SUV to date.
Inspired by luxury yachts, its smooth silhouette and wide stance create an unmistakable sense of calm power.
The IONIQ 9 embodies Hyundai’s “Aerosthetic” design philosophy — a fusion of “aerodynamic” and “aesthetic.” Every curve enhances airflow efficiency, helping extend EV range while exuding minimalist elegance. Inside, sustainable materials and an airy lounge-like cabin redefine what “premium EV experience” truly means.
It’s not just a car; it’s Hyundai’s design manifesto for the electric age.
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| The IONIQ 9 |
Palisade & INITIUM — Family Comfort Meets Future Energy
The Hyundai Palisade, now in its latest generation, was selected as a Finalist for its family-centered design and intuitive user experience. Its cabin layout balances technology with warmth — high-tech screens framed by tactile materials that remind you it’s still human-focused design.
Meanwhile, Hyundai’s INITIUM Hydrogen Concept made waves for its futuristic take on zero-emission mobility. The concept represents Hyundai’s vision of circular design, where energy generation, storage, and usage exist in harmony.
Together, these models show how Hyundai moves beyond aesthetics — toward a sustainable, human-centric mobility ecosystem.
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| The Hyundai Palisade |
Beyond Cars — A Design Ecosystem Expanding Across Fields
What makes Hyundai Motor Group’s victory extraordinary is that their awards went far beyond cars.
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The HMGICS Smart Farm in Singapore won both an Environmental Silver Award and the prestigious Curator’s Choice. This futuristic innovation center merges robotics, automation, and sustainability — a perfect example of “mobility meets ecology.”
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Kia also earned recognition for its EV3 compact electric SUV and integrated Kia App, proving that the company’s UX/UI design vision is as forward-thinking as its vehicles.
This cross-category success shows that Hyundai and Kia are no longer just automakers — they are design-driven tech innovators shaping the future of human experience.
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| EV3 compact electric SUV and integrated Kia App |
Future Design Philosophy — Beyond Mobility
Hyundai and Kia’s design direction is guided by a clear vision: mobility is evolving into experience.
Key pillars of their philosophy include:
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Sustainability: Using recyclable materials and carbon-neutral manufacturing.
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User Experience: Seamless interfaces, adaptive cabins, and digital ecosystems that anticipate human needs.
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PBV Expansion: Purpose-built vehicles that function as mobile homes, offices, or even medical units.
Their recent dominance at the IDEA, iF, Red Dot, and CES Innovation Awards underscores one thing — Korean design has become a global benchmark.
Hyundai & Kia: Redefining What Design Means in the Mobility Era
What sets these brands apart is not just innovation — it’s their human story.
Hyundai’s design language (Sensuous Sportiness) emphasizes emotional connection through simplicity and proportion. Kia’s Opposites United celebrates contrasts — the blend of rugged and refined, digital and organic.
Together, they have transformed global perceptions of Korean cars.
Once viewed as value brands, Hyundai and Kia are now icons of creativity, quality, and design leadership.
Their success at the 2025 IDEA Awards isn’t just about trophies — it’s a declaration that the future of automotive design speaks Korean.
Final Thought
The rise of Hyundai and Kia signals a larger movement — one where design becomes the bridge between mobility, emotion, and technology.
From Seoul to Silicon Valley, their presence in award ceremonies, concept reveals, and innovation expos proves that Korean design thinking now leads the global stage.