Hyundai, Ferrari win big at annual ‘Good Design’ awards

The annual Good Design Awards for 2023 have been announced. Managed by the Chicago Athenaeum in the US, the organisation has celebrated and awarded contemporary design since 1950. The programme awards the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product and graphic designs produced around the world.

From the transportation category, Korean brand Hyundai had a slam dunk in 2023 with five cars awarded the seal of approval. The jury has awarded Hyundai’s N Vision 74 — the villainous-looking, high-performance hydrogen hybrid from last year that pays homage to the design of the Pony Coupe concept that was presented in 1974.

Other Hyundai winners are the Ioniq 6 battery-electric sedan with its distinctive and streamlined silhouette, the Grandeur luxury sedan which is a modern-day Azera, and the all-new Kona. The awards haul was completed by the Genesis X convertible, a grand tourer concept from Hyundai’s luxury subsidiary which is a part of a trilogy of cars with a bold lighting signature and all powered by electric power trains.

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.

“We feel a tremendous sense of honour to receive acknowledgment from the Good Design Awards for these significant vehicles and innovations,” said SangYup Lee, executive vice-president and head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design. “This recognition serves as a testament to the exceptional dedication exhibited by our team of visionary designers.”

Ferrari has enjoyed a good innings with breathtaking designs of late, including from its special one-off projects. However, it’s the efforts of Maranello designers with the stunning new Purosangue SUV which have been rewarded.

The jury also declared the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo, the single-seater sports car conceived specifically for the Gran Turismo video game series, a showstopper, and also the slinky and breezy new Roma Spider.

Other automotive brands that received recognition include the new Kia EV9 SUV — the largest battery-electric vehicle manufactured by the Korean brand. 

The boldly styled new Mitsubishi Triton is part of the winners’ circle, as is the Mitsubishi Xforce compact crossover.

The awards encompass a variety of products from small, unknown and established brands. Winners include tractors, yachts, pens and even tyres, because great design knows no boundaries.