The Genesis G70, a sports sedan by Hyundai Motor, was named the car of the year by an association of South Korean reporters covering the auto industry Monday.

The Korea Automobile Journalist Association tested 55 models that sold more than 300 units here in South Korea last year, conducting test drive sessions at a driving circuit to evaluate the overall performance of cars. Evaluation categories included maintenance, design, product quality, function and cost effectiveness, it said. 

The G70 scored 6.72 out of 7 points, the highest score, beating five other finalists in the test. The sedan received high scores for its design, driving performance and cost value.

The finalists included the BMW New 5 Series, Lexus LS500h, Volvo XC60, Mercedes-Benz’s New S-Class and Kia’s Stinger.

Meanwhile, BMW’s New 5 Series was named the best foreign car here, with a score of 5.96 points. The German carmaker’s luxury sedan received high scores for its performance, brand value and trust in the car manufacturer. The Volvo XC60 was also named the best SUV of the year, while Kia’s Stinger won the best design category and BMW’s New M4 was named the best car in the performance category. GM Korea’s Chevrolet Bolt EV was picked as the best green car.

KAJA has 48 media outlets here as its members. It will hold the awards ceremony at Seoul Marina in Yeouido, Seoul, on Wednesday.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)