Five vehicles made by Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. have won 2012 Canadian Car of the Year awards, industry sources said Thursday.

The cars that ranked first in their sections were Hyundai’s Accent subcompact, Elantra compact and Veloster compact sports car and Kia’s Optima and Optima hybrid mid-size sedans.

Sources said the five awards mark the highest number of honors given to a carmaker in the North American country and reflects sharp improvements in both design and performance.

The two automakers are the flagships of Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth-largest car manufacturer.

“The awards showcase the level of satisfaction Hyundai and Kia cars are offering consumers,” a spokesman for the motor group said.

The annual awards, which evaluate new cars that have hit the market, examine vehicles in 11 different categories by judging exterior design, performance, mileage, safety features and various amenity features.

The latest recognition from Canada comes after four Hyundai and Kia vehicles made the short-list for the 2012 North American Car of the Year last month. There are 17 cars on the list, including Hyundai’s Accent, Veloster and Elantra and Kia’s Rio subcompact.

Hyundai’s Sonata was the runner-up in the 2011 event, which was won by Chevrolet’s Volt electric car. 

(Yonhap News)