Kia Motors is one of the big winners in
two recent surveys of vehicle quality.
The Kia brand has been one of the big
movers in the J.D Power 2014 Initial Quality Study (IQS) rankings in the United
States, as a focus on improving the quality and appeal of vehicles pays off.
Two of Kia’s exciting model range lead
their respective segments in the quality study; the Kia Sportage is tied for first
in the Small SUV category, and the Kia Cadenza is the
best Large Car. It’s the second year the Sportage has topped its class, and
this achievement comes just weeks after the model topped a similar J.D. Power
study in Germany.
Kia has also moved
up four places overall to now be placed sixth in the annual survey by J.D.
Power out of a total of 32 car brands.
Meanwhile,
in the 19th annual quality survey by US-based Strategic Vision, Kia was the leading
manufacturer among non-luxury brands.
Strategic
vision says Kia has posted
“significant quality improvements” in recent years and is now leading
non-luxury brands. It highlighted the Kia Soul as being the
stand-out model in its segments and also praised the quality of the Optima,
which finished a close second in the Mid-Size Car category.
“These
results are important markers for anyone who is shopping around for a new car
and wants to be re-assured about quality,” says Todd McDonald, General Manager
of Kia Motors
New Zealand.
“Many
of the vehicles that Kia
models compete against in the US are also sold in New Zealand, so the findings
from this study are comparable. It’s an extremely good result and clearly
demonstrates how Kia’s long-term strategy of concentrating on quality
strengthens the brand and elevates ownership experience.”
The
annual report by J.D. Power analysed responses from 86,118 buyers in the US,
covering 239 vehicle models across 23 segments, and is one of the most
comprehensive of its kind in the world. Vehicles were evaluated on driving
experience, engine and transmission performance, and a broad range of quality
problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners.
Mr
McDonald says the quality and reliability of Kia vehicles was behind the move
to provide New Zealand buyers with a 5-year/100,000 kilometres warranty
programme, bringing peace of mind to the new buyer and any subsequent owners
within that period.
For the
same period of time, new Kia buyers are also provided with complimentary Kia
Roadside Assistance in the unlikely event of a breakdown, or to help change a
flat tyre or assist with a flat battery.
“Kia
Motors was the first to offer this long-term protection in New Zealand, and it
has been a source of comfort and peace of mind for thousands of Kia owners,”
adds Mr McDonald.
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