This file photo provided by Hyundai Motor Group shows EV6. Yonhap

Hyundai Motor Group said Friday it has received 17 awards at this year's International Forum (iF) Design Award competition, proving the "excellence" of the South Korean carmaker's models.

Hyundai Motor Co., Hyundai's independent Genesis brand and Hyundai's smaller affiliate Kia obtained 17 awards in the five categories of product, professional concept, interior architecture, communication and user interface, the group said in a statement.

In the product segment, Hyundai's Staria van, Kia's EV6 all-electric sedan and Genesis' GV60 pure electric SUV received the iF awards.

Organized by the International Forum Design GmbH, based in Hanover, Germany, the prestigious contest recognizes excellence in design in a wide range of fields.

This year, the iF jury members selected 73 best creations out of about 11,000 entries. (Yonhap)