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Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year awards the Hyundai IONIQ 9 as World’s Best Large SUV

Hyundai’s flagship EV adds another accolade to its belt.

Jerome Tresvalles
Hyundai IONIQ 9 WWCOTY

Hyundai Motor Company’s all-electric flagship SUV, the IONIQ 9, has been named World’s Best Large SUV at the 2026 Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) Awards. The recognition puts a spotlight on Hyundai Motor’s continued focus on innovation, quality, and sustainability in the competitive large SUV segment.

Related: Hyundai reveals the 2026 Staria Electric

The award was determined by a panel of 84 female automotive journalists from 54 countries, who evaluated vehicles across all categories using a comprehensive set of criteria. These included safety, quality, design, performance, ease of driving, environmental impact, and value for money. Competing against nearly 20 other models in its class, the IONIQ 9 distinguished itself as a standout contender and ultimately emerged as the category winner.

“Hyundai IONIQ 9 clearly demonstrates how advanced technology and everyday usability can go hand in hand. Its fast and efficient charging capability, outstanding interior space, and high overall quality set a new benchmark in the large electric SUV segment. This award also confirms that Hyundai’s commitment to innovation and excellence is consistent, as this is not the first time the brand has been recognized by our jury.”
Marta García
Executive President, WWCOTY
Hyundai IONIQ 9 Exterior

Since its launch in late 2024, the IONIQ 9 has garnered a string of international accolades even before this recent achievement. These include recognition at the 2025 TopGear.com Electric Awards, the German Premium Car of the Year 2026 title from German Car of the Year (GCOTY), and Comfortable Cruiser of the Year honors at the Carwow Car of the Year Awards 2026. The model has also been celebrated for its design, earning a Gold Award at the 2025 Australian Good Design Awards in the Automotive category, along with a Best Exterior Design commendation, as well as receiving a Red Dot Award in the Car and Motorcycle category and a 2025 iF Design Award in the Automobile category.

The IONIQ 9 made its local debut in the Philippines in July 2025. Offered in the sole Calligraphy AWD Long Range variant, it comes with dual electric motors developing 303 hp and 605 Nm of torque. Fueling the motors is a large 110.3 kWh lithium-ion battery that can provide up to 600 km of driving range on a single charge.

For the 2026 edition, the WWCOTY awards are divided into six categories: Compact Car, Compact SUV, Large Car, Large SUV, 4x4 & Pickup, and Performance Car. With its victory in the Large SUV category, the IONIQ 9 now advances as one of the finalists for the prestigious WWCOTY Supreme Winner title, with the overall winner set to be announced in March.

If you’re interested in the IONIQ 9, you can check it out along with other Hyundai models on the Hyundai Car Guide on AutoDeal.com.ph.

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