- President and CEO Ho Sung Music awarded with Autocar’s highest accolade, the Issigonis Trophy, in recognition of his vital contributions to the worldwide automotive business
- Honored for positioning Kia on the forefront of electrification and steering the mobility business towards a better future with new PBV imaginative and prescient
- Kia EV3 named as ‘Greatest Electrical Automobile’ by Autocar on account of its compelling house and practicality, fast charging pace and convincing electrical vary
Kia Company (Kia) President and CEO Ho Sung Music has been honored with the celebrated Issigonis Trophy on the 2025 Autocar Awards.
Named after the legendary automotive designer and inventor Sir Alec Issigonis, the Trophy is Autocar’s most prestigious award. Offered yearly, it acknowledges people who’ve made a major contribution to the automotive business by innovation, management and distinctive enterprise efficiency.
Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar, commented, “We’re delighted to current Ho Sung Music with the Issigonis Trophy. We’ve been massively impressed by the best way Mr Music has led Kia and the success he has achieved for the corporate and its continued development. He has championed nice design and improved branding and confronted the problem of electrification by making ever higher and ever extra fascinating automobiles which are among the many business’s best possible.”
On receiving the Issigonis Trophy, President Music remarked, “It’s a nice honor to obtain this yr’s Issigonis Trophy. I want to categorical my honest because of the Autocar workforce for this recognition — not simply of me, however of the unbelievable Kia workforce worldwide, whose dedication and perception in our mission proceed to drive the model ahead.”
He continued, “Our dedication stays clear. To design with intention, to guide with duty, and to proceed delivering experiences that encourage. We settle for it with gratitude — and vow to maintain pushing boundaries with objective.”
Kia beneath President Ho Sung Music’s management
Since his appointment as President of Kia in 2020, President Music has led a profitable transformation of the corporate. Beneath his management, Kia’s mid- to long-term ‘Plan S’ technique has progressively positioned the model as a world chief in electrification and sustainable mobility options.
A key a part of this transformation has been the worldwide roll-out of Kia’s new model id and the launch of an award-winning vary of hybrid and electrical autos. These embody the Kia EV9, named World Automobile of the Yr in 2024, and the EV3, which was awarded each World Automobile of the Yr and UK Automobile of the Yr in 2025.
Kia has additionally taken a pioneering strategy to the industrial car market with its revolutionary Platform Past Automobile (PBV) technique, a core component of ‘Plan S’. In 2024, Kia unveiled its PBV idea vary at CES in Las Vegas and introduced the event of a devoted PBV manufacturing facility in Korea. Constructed for enterprise, Kia’s first devoted all electrical industrial car, the PV5, is deliberate to launch in world markets this yr. Kia plans to promote 250,000 PBVs globally in 2030.
Previous to changing into President and CEO of Kia, Mr. Music held a variety of management positions, together with Head of World Operations, President of Kia Motors Europe and Head of Kia Motors Company Export Planning Group.
All through this time, President Music has dropped at bear his in depth expertise throughout the automotive worth chain in addition to his experience in abroad operations, main Kia’s profitable transition all through a interval of serious change within the world automotive business.
Kia EV3 named ‘Greatest Electrical Automobile’
The Kia EV3 was additionally named ‘Greatest Electrical Automobile’ on the 2025 Autocar Awards. In an exceptionally aggressive class, it stood out not just for its spectacular 375-mile electrical vary and fast-charging functionality, but in addition for delivering that efficiency in a compact, fascinating and reasonably priced package deal.
“The EV3 is the standout addition to the reasonably priced electrical automotive ranks in 2025. It not solely extends the design attraction of the assertion EV9 into the guts of the electrical automotive market, but in addition brings with it compelling house and practicality, spectacular fast charging pace, wonderful EV drivability and convincing electrical vary to the get together — all for an interesting worth,” stated Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar.
He continued, “The EV3 is an electrical automotive prospects can afford and one that can actually work for them. It is a cracking all-rounder, and really convincing.”
Since its world debut final yr, the EV3 has continued to construct momentum in markets around the globe. It has already acquired vital worldwide recognition, together with the 2025 World Automobile of the Yr and Crimson Dot’s prestigious ‘Better of the Greatest’ award. Notably within the UK, the EV3 has seen distinctive success — changing into the best-selling EV within the UK retail market in Q1 and incomes the 2025 UK Automobile of the Yr. These achievements comply with within the footsteps of its bigger sibling, the EV9, which swept the identical awards in 2024.
President Music closed the night by remarking, “The Kia EV3 being named ‘Greatest Electrical Automobile’ on the 2025 Autocar Awards — together with its rising record of accolades — underscores Kia’s dedication to innovation. With our Platform Past Automobile (PBV) technique now underway, and a mannequin lineup quickly to span from the extremely anticipated EV2 all the best way as much as the premium EV9, we’re nicely positioned to guide the worldwide shift to electrification.”
