Hyundai Motor Co.’s Solaris sub-compact was named the 2012 Annual National Prize Car of the Year by Russian consumers, South Korea’s largest carmaker said Friday.

The vehicle, which is the local name for Hyundai’s popular Accent, was picked as both car of the year and best model in the small vehicle segment by 1.5 million consumers who took part in a nationwide vote.

The award ceremony hosted by the country’s automotive media including Automir was held on Thursday in Moscow.

Hyundai said its Solaris beat out such competitors as the Ford Focus and Audi A6 to win the car of the year award, while it sidestepped stiff challenges by Audi A1 and Kia’s Pride to grab top honors in the small vehicle segment. Kia is Hyundai’s smaller affiliate and part of Hyundai Motor Group, the world’s fifth largest carmaker.

The Solaris, meanwhile, is made at the Korean carmaker’s Russian plant and has played an integral part in pushing up Hyundai sales by 66 percent in the first two months of this year. The carmaker said it sold 16,480 units of the vehicle in January and February and predicted demand to remain strong in the coming months.

(Yonhap News)