Five categories evaluated, including interior and exterior design; model scores 39 out of 50

Hyundai Motor Co's flagship sedan, The New Grandeur [Korea Automotive Journalists Association]
Hyundai Motor Co's flagship sedan, The New Grandeur [Korea Automotive Journalists Association]

The Korea Automotive Journalists Association (KAJA) announced Friday that it has named Hyundai Motor Co's The New Grandeur as its Car of the Month for June.

KAJA's Car of the Year selection committee evaluates new models and partially updated vehicles launched each calendar month and announces a monthly winner. The five assessment categories are interior and exterior design and emotional quality, safety and convenience features, powertrain performance, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, and product value and purchase intent.

Three vehicles launched last month were shortlisted as June candidates — the GMC Hummer Electric SUV, the KG Mobility New Torres and Hyundai Motor's The New Grandeur, listed in Korean alphabetical order by brand name.

The New Grandeur earned 9 out of 10 points in exterior design and emotional quality, 8 points in powertrain performance, 7.7 points in safety and convenience features, and 7.3 points in energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, giving it a total of 39 out of 50 points and securing its selection as Car of the Month.

Won Seon-ung, chair of the Car of the Year selection committee, said The New Grandeur is a symbolic model marking Hyundai Motor's full-scale shift toward software-defined vehicles, adding that the combination of the next-generation operating system "Pleos Connect" and a generative AI agent has elevated the infotainment experience to a remarkable level.

"In particular, the commanding NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) control achieved through body rigidity reinforcement and aerodynamic optimization, along with a more solid chassis foundation, proves the value of a flagship sedan," Won added. "However, while the technical refinement is excellent, persuasively overcoming the market's psychological resistance to the price increase remains a challenge for this model."

KAJA has selected and announced a Car of the Month every month since 2019. Vehicles named Car of the Month advance directly to the first round of final judging for the Korea Car of the Year (K-COTY), bypassing both the first-half and second-half preliminary rounds.

Earlier, Hyundai Motor's The New Staria Electric was named Car of the Month for May.


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