Hyundai secures multiple honors at IDEA 2025 design awards

Hyundai Motor earned eight awards at the 2025 International Design Excellence Awards, including recognition for IONIQ 9, Palisade, Initium and CX Smart Farm.

Hyundai Motor Company has reaffirmed its leadership in design by winning eight awards at the prestigious International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA 2025). The achievement highlights the company’s global competitiveness in combining innovation, aesthetics, and social responsibility.

IDEA, established in 1980 by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), remains one of the world’s most respected design competitions. The 2025 ceremony took place in Detroit during the IDSA International Design Conference, with projects from across the globe evaluated on innovation, user benefits, and social impact.

Hyundai received recognition across four categories. In Automotive & Transportation, the IONIQ 9 electric SUV earned a Bronze, while the all-new Palisade and the hydrogen-powered concept INITIUM were named Finalists. The IONIQ 9, launched in Korea and the United States in 2025, features an “aerosthetic” silhouette and a spacious interior. The second-generation Palisade emphasizes its premium presence with a wider stance and refined proportions. INITIUM, first unveiled in October 2024, introduced the “Art of Steel” design language and set the tone for Hyundai’s next-generation NEXO.

In the Environments category, Hyundai’s CX Smart Farm at the Singapore-based Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center earned a Silver and the distinguished Curator’s Choice Award. The project, merging robotics with sustainable agriculture, embodies the brand’s vision of community engagement and innovative urban solutions. Alongside it, the Na Oh restaurant, blending Korean culinary heritage with modern design, was also recognized as a Finalist.

Hyundai’s industrial and service innovations also gained attention. The X-ble Shoulder, a wearable robot that reduces strain during overhead tasks, was selected as a Finalist in Commercial & Industrial. In Service Design, the Automatic Charging Robot (ACR) was honored as a Finalist for enabling fully automated EV charging through AI-based recognition and operation.

With these honors, Hyundai now holds victories across all four major international design awards: iF, Red Dot, Good Design, and IDEA. In 2024, the company had already secured a Gold for the IONIQ 5 N and the Curator’s Choice Award for the “PONY” heritage collection, underscoring a consistent track record in design excellence.

In a competitive field where other Korean brands such as Kia and Samsung also perform strongly, Hyundai has strengthened its position as a company capable of excelling in automotive, spatial, and service design. Analysts cautiously note that new approaches like the “Art of Steel” philosophy and Robotics LAB innovations are likely to shape Hyundai’s product lineup and brand identity in the coming years.