Two Kias Took Home Trophies From a Pacific Northwest Shootout

The 2027 Kia Telluride HEV was named Best Hybrid Vehicle and the 2026 K4 Hatchback took Best Value at the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s Drive Revolution awards. The two category wins came out of a field of 20 gas, hybrid and electric vehicles.

Seventeen automotive journalists spent two days testing the field on the roads around Vancouver, Washington. They scored each vehicle on ride and handling, powertrain, braking, exterior and interior design, technology and value. The Telluride HEV’s three-row packaging, technology and interior finish carried the hybrid category, while the K4 Hatchback won on its standard 1.6-liter turbo, its eight-speed automatic and its styling.

Kia announced the results in a September 29 release. "Drive Revolution jurists found a lot to like in the newest generation Telluride and the K4 Hatchback," NWAPA president Tom Voelk said in it. "The two vehicles are quite different from each other and demonstrate the wide range of quality products Kia has to offer today."

The two winners sit at opposite ends of Kia’s price list. The Telluride HEV starts at $46,490 for a front-drive EX before a $1,545 destination charge and pairs a 2.5-liter turbo with a 1.65-kWh battery for 329 horsepower and an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined, according to Kia’s February pricing release. The K4 Hatchback’s cheapest version, the EX, is priced at $25,090 for 2027 in a September 30 release, with the turbocharged GT-Line Turbo the judges singled out at $28,990.

"Kia’s strong showing at this year’s Drive Revolution reflects the strength and diversity of our growing lineup," said Eric Watson, Kia America’s vice president of sales, in the release.

The HyundaiHQ Take

Regional press awards rarely move metal, but this pair happens to line up with where Kia’s momentum is: the Telluride HEV is the model Kia credits for leading its hybrid growth, and the K4 is up 43 percent this year. The Best Value nod for the hatchback is the one Kia should put in its ads, because the turbo hatch at $28,990 is the version of the K4 that most buyers have never been shown.