Hyundai Motor Group Wins 16 Awards at IDEA, One of the World’s Three Major Design Awards

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor Group announced on the 3rd that it had won 16 awards at the 2026 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), organized by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
IDEA is regarded as one of the world’s three major design awards, alongside the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Design Award. Since 1980, it has selected outstanding entries in each category through a comprehensive evaluation of design innovation, user benefits and social responsibility.
The awards comprised two golds, one silver, three bronzes and 10 Finalist honors. The top prize, the gold award, went to Hyundai Motor Company’s E3W and E4W Micro Mobility Concepts in the Concept and Advanced Design category and HMGICS’s Nao Restaurant Book in the Branding category.
First unveiled last year, the micro-mobility concepts reimagine India’s iconic motor rickshaw on an electrified platform. Their compact bodies, designed for narrow urban areas, and flexible seating configurations were recognized for their practicality in serving not only passenger transport but also logistics and emergency response. Nao Restaurant Book captures the brand philosophy of Nao, a Korean restaurant at HMGICS. It received favorable reviews for its brand storytelling, documenting collaborations with three-Michelin-star chef Corey Lee and traditional Korean artisans.
Genesis Magma GT Concept, a high-performance concept car, won silver in the Automotive and Transportation category. Its low, wide body and elongated roofline create a strong presence, while its dynamic mid-engine proportions and clean aerodynamic design were praised for visually expressing the brand’s performance philosophy.
Bronze awards went to Hyundai Motor Company’s heritage content, Heritage Stella & Sonata Retrace Magazine, and its pediatric cancer support campaign, Hyundai Hope on Wheels (HHOW), in the Branding category. Kia PV5 Infotainment System also won bronze in the Digital Interaction category. The PV5 system was well received for expanding the vehicle beyond a simple means of transportation into a space for digital services.
The three brands also received Finalist honors in various areas. Hyundai Motor Company was recognized for UX Studio Seoul, which received awards in both the Service Design and Environment categories, as well as for Nao Restaurant Branding, Hyundai Employee ID Card Case, Mobile Nap, Furnished Lounge & Hyundai Ad Gear, and the MobED (Mobile Eccentric Droid) robot development project. Kia x The Ocean Cleanup was named a Finalist in the Social Impact Design category, while Genesis G90 Wingback Concept and Magma UI Design were selected as Finalists in the Automotive and Transportation and Digital Interaction categories, respectively.
A Hyundai Motor Group representative said, "These awards demonstrate the group’s design competitiveness across not only product design but also brand experience, digital interfaces, spaces, services and social value." The representative added, "We will continue to introduce innovative designs that enrich customers’ lives and present a sustainable future."
[email protected] Dong-chan Kim Reporter