How Hyundai’s identity ruled global auto market in 2023

Hyundai Motor Company’s innovative designs competed favourably in the global auto market in 2023.

This was exceptional in the way the automaker’s designs achieved competitiveness by coming on top in six different categories of the 2023 GOOD DESIGN Awards held in the U.S.

Hyundai’s four products including N Vision 74, IONIQ 6, Azera and Kona were selected in the transportation category of the Good Design recognition.

“We feel a tremendous sense of honour to receive an acknowledgement from the Good Design Awards for these significant vehicles and innovations,” said SangYup Lee, executive vice president and head of Hyundai & Genesis Global Design.

According to Lee, “This recognition serves as a testament to the exceptional dedication exhibited by our team of visionary designers, who poured their unwavering passion and commitment into this project, alongside our collaborative engineers at the R&D centre. It highlights the remarkable competitiveness of Hyundai’s design identity within the global market.”

Specifically, the N Vision 74 high-performance hydrogen hybrid ‘rolling lab’ won all four major global design awards including iF, IDEA, Red Dot, and GOOD DESIGN. It is part of Hyundai Motor’s heritage communication efforts that seek to find the vision of the future through the bold spirit of the first independently developed Korean sports car prototype, the ‘Pony Coupe Concept,’ unveiled in 1974.

Also, IONIQ 6 drew attention with its sleek exterior and stylish interior design. With a smooth streamlined design that minimises wind resistance, the all-electric vehicle achieved the highest aerodynamic coefficient (Cd) of 0.21 among all Hyundai Motor vehicles, combining sensibility and efficiency.

Grandeur stood out with its advanced design that reinterprets the heritage designs of previous models. With a futuristic exterior styling and an interior that maximises comfort and luxury, it embodies the image of Hyundai Motor’s flagship sedan.

Kona features a future-oriented image unique to electric vehicles while inheriting the existing iconic design elements. The seamless horizon lamp that spans the front, the prominent surfaces and the sharp lines harmonise to emphasise elegance.

Hyundai also won awards in the Interactive Media category with the ‘Seon,’ connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system, and the ‘Hyundai Sans UI,’ the mobility-exclusive font.

‘Seon’ is a new design theme applied to the next-generation integrated infotainment system, first introduced in the new Grandeur. It completes a differentiated graphic design that uses linear elements, such as straight lines and ovals that can be seen in daily life to convey a familiar and comfortable feeling.

‘Hyundai Sans UI’ is Hyundai Motor’s first mobility-exclusive font, applied to the infotainment system of every ccNC-applied Hyundai model. It contributes to enhancing the completeness of the infotainment system by providing consistent legibility in any external environment through a harmony of smooth curves and refined straight lines.

“With this intuitive and attractive design, we’ve provided a familiar and comfortable interface for our customers to enhance their overall experience,” said Haeyoung Kwon, vice president and head of the Infotainment Development Center.

Kwon said the company is proud to offer these features that truly prioritise the needs and satisfaction of its valued customers.

The Good Design Awards are selected through collaboration between The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design in Chicago, Illinois, and The European Centre for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies in Europe.

They announce award-winning works in various categories for Fortune 500 and global leading companies every year.