Hyundai Motor’s flagship electric vehicle Ioniq 5 has been picked as MotorTrend’s 2023 SUV of the Year, the first award for the Korean automaker from the renowned US auto magazine with 74 years of history.

The Ioniq 5 beat out 44 other models, of which 24 were electric.

MotorTrend said the Ioniq 5 stood out for its luxurious exterior, outstanding driving performance, spacious interior and efficient battery pack, along with the fast-charging system.

The award for SUV of the year is evaluated based on six factors: advancement in design, engineering, efficiency, safety, value and performance.

“In this year's incredibly competitive crop of SUV of the Year contenders, this Hyundai was well ahead of the pack. The Ioniq 5 might be a somewhat unconventional pick for our 2023 SUV of the Year award, but we're confident it will be more than capable of handling the diverse tasks Americans expect SUVs to perform without complaint, no matter if they live in the Aleutians or the Keys. The Ioniq 5 is an outstanding vehicle, and that's why it's our winner,” said Christian Seabaugh from MotorTrend.

Hyundai Motor’s Ioniq 5 is the Korean carmaker’s first electric vehicle on the EV-dedicated platform E-GMP, making it compatible for the 800-volt superfast-charging, vehicle-to-load and power electric system.