Photo Source/Copyright: Kia Media
As of now, there are just two months left in the year 2023. Nevertheless, Kia Corp. has been dominating battles for honors and fancy titles for some of its most popular new cars during the whole year. With the EV6 GT, the Kia EV6 continues to astound editors and drivers, earning a spot on the TIME Best Inventions of 2023 List. R&T has awarded the Kia EV6 GT the 2024 Performance EV of the Year, giving the battery-electric car (BEV) its another victory. The largest SUV in the range, the Kia Telluride, which is still very well-liked, will share part of the spotlight in October with the Kia EV6. This is the same SUV that took home the “Triple Crown” of car accolades in the year of its debut; now, the Telluride and the Telluride X-Pro are tied for first place in the 2023 Rebelle Rally.
EV6 GT Track & Road
Road & Track tested the six qualifying BEVs for the competition across a four-mile stretch of the closed-off Los Angeles Crest Highway in order to choose the Performance EV of the Year winner. The drivers evaluated each BEV’s raw speed, turning, braking, endurance, and comfort while test-driving it on winding routes. This wasn’t only about how effectively a BEV operated; it was also about how much of a sports car each one exuded. Though energy consumption and charging times were also taken into account, a sports vehicle is still a sports car, and the Kia EV6 GT comes quite close. The winners were divided into two categories: one for BEVs priced slightly higher and one for those with a starting MSRP under $100,000. Road & Track’s 2024 Performance EV of the Year for the class of BEVs priced under $100,000 is the official accolade for the Kia EV6 GT.
“We are deeply honored the EV6 GT has garnered the enthusiastic attention of the esteemed editors at Road & Track, who are passionate auto enthusiasts at heart…We are thrilled they recognized our core objective to redefine the notion that EVs don’t have to be silent boxes on wheels and that our high-horsepower EV6 GT can evoke the same level of excitement as some of the most fun-to-drive gasoline-powered cars.” – Steven Center, COO and EVP, Kia America
The Rebelle Rally 2023 and the Kia Telluride X-Pro
In related news, the 2023 Rebelle Rally came to an end on October 21, 2023. The Rebelle Rally is the longest race of its kind in the lower 48 states. It requires competitors to drive 1,500 miles of rough off-road terrain throughout the US. Vehicles are put to the test as they traverse the sandy dunes of Glamis, California, which stretches from Lake Tahoe to San Diego. When a car is properly equipped, it can end up in the winner’s circle.
This year, the Kia Telluride X-Pro entered the Rebelle Rally, demonstrating its unquestionable ability for the off-road competition. The Telluride X-Pro is built for off-road racing with features like 17-inch Rhino wheels shod in BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A K02 tires, skid plates in the front, rear, and underbody to shield the underbelly from sharp objects and rocks, and Baja Forged front and rear bumpers and tow points. This year, the Telluride X-Pro also received 18-inch KMC716 wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A K02 tires, a 1.5-inch lift for a total of 10 inches of ground clearance, and modified roof racks and front and rear bumpers to increase approach and departure angles. Thanks to drivers Verena Mei and Susie Saxten, the Kia Telluride X-Pro placed third in the 2023 Rebelle Rally.
Want to get your hands on an award-winning Kia model? Find the Kia EV6 and Kia Telluride at Miami Lakes Automall today.
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Terry is an avid Nascar fan who grew up attending races at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, just down the road from his hometown of China Grove, NC. Terry currently resides in Wellington and has been writing for 15 years. He also enjoys watching the Road Runner Looney Tunes cartoon with his two sons in his spare time.