Kia has won three awards at the Golden Steering Wheel 2026 (Das Goldene Lenkrad), Germany's best-known car award. The EV2 was named Best Car Under €30,000, the K4 Sportswagon won the Compact Class and the EV5 won the Compact SUV Class. The awards were announced in Berlin on November 10.
The award is in its 50th edition this year, and Kia is the first non-European brand to win three Golden Steering Wheels in a single year.
How The Golden Steering Wheel Works
The award is organized by AUTO BILD and BILD am SONNTAG. The editors nominated 90 new models this year, and readers voted for 27 finalists, three in each of nine classes.
A 23-member jury then tested the finalists at the DEKRA-Lausitzring track. The jury mixed motoring experts and celebrities, including nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier, racing driver David Schumacher and tennis legend Boris Becker. They scored handling, comfort, ease of use, quality, everyday practicality, sustainability and value for money.
Kia EV2: Best Car Under €30,000
The EV2 is Kia's entry-level electric SUV for Europe. It went on sale in April 2026 and is built in Žilina, Slovakia.
4.06 m long B-segment SUV with sliding rear seats
Up to 403 liters of cargo space, depending on trim
Up to 453 km of range, one of the longest in its segment
Kia K4 Sportswagon: Compact Class
The K4 Sportswagon beat the Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and the Cupra Born. It is the only gasoline model of the three, and it went on sale in Europe in May 2026.
Almost 4.70 m long, with 604 liters of cargo space
Turbo gasoline engines from 115 to 180 PS
0-100 km/h in as little as 8.4 seconds and up to 210 km/h
Available AI assistant, video streaming, Wi-Fi hotspot, digital key and head-up display
Kia EV5: Compact SUV Class
The EV5 beat the Audi Q3 and the Cupra Formentor VZ5. It arrived in Europe in December 2025, and its Korean facelift has already been spotted without camouflage.
4.61 m long, with a flat two-meter load floor when the rear seats are folded
Front- or all-wheel drive, over 550 km of range and up to 1,800 kg of towing
The EV5 GT has 306 PS and does 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds
Kia's Eighth Golden Steering Wheel
With this year's three wins, Kia now has eight Golden Steering Wheels:
2019: XCeed, Best Car Under €35,000
2020: Sorento, Large SUV
2022: Niro EV, Compact SUV
2023: EV9, Family Car
2024: EV3, Best Car Under €40,000
2026: EV2, K4 Sportswagon and EV5
Kia CEO Ho Sung Song said Europe remains central to Kia's future. Kia Europe CEO Soohang Chang said the brand is especially proud of the EV2 because it is developed, engineered and built in Europe.
Our Take
The interesting part is the mix: two electric models and one gasoline wagon. Kia keeps winning in Europe by offering a choice of powertrains, and the K4 Sportswagon shows there is still room for a good family wagon. The EV2 win also matters, because affordable EVs are where Kia will need volume in Europe. It follows the EV3 World Car of the Year title, so Kia's small EVs keep collecting awards.
Source and images: Kia.
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