Third Straight Year
of IQS Improvement Places Kia Second Among 33 Brands
·
Kia
Sorento and Soul awarded for highest scores in compact multi-purpose vehicle
and midsize SUV segments as five other Kia models rank among top three in their
respective categories1
·
With
nearly 20-percent improvement, Kia owners had fewer issues with their vehicles
than nearly all other car and truck brands
IRVINE, Calif., June 17, 2015 – With more
units in operation in the U.S. than ever before, Kia Motors reached another
historic milestone today when J.D.
Power recognized the brand as the second-highest scoring nameplate
industry-wide in its 2015 Initial Quality Study (IQS). Kia’s IQS score improved
by 20 points over its previous best-ever performance in 2014, vaulting the
growing automaker up four positions to second overall among 33 automotive
brands and highest among all mass-market nameplates.
Kia’s ascension was powered by
segment-leading performances from two of the company’s best-selling vehicles – Soul
and Sorento – while the Rio, Optima, Cadenza, Sportage and Sedona models all
ranked in the top three of their respective categories.
“We believe the J.D.
Power report leaves no doubt that Kia builds world-class vehicles, and the
results are especially gratifying as the IQS study truly reflects the voice of
our customers,” said Michael Sprague, Chief Operating Officer and EVP, Kia
Motors America. “Kia’s rise is one of the industry’s greatest success
stories and is driven by the hard work of thousands of team members around the
world as well as our long-term strategy to concentrate on quality, strengthen
the brand and elevate the ownership
experience.”
Kia’s U.S. sales have more than doubled over the last six years as the brand has made significant investments in the market and steadily climbed J.D. Power’s annual IQS rankings. After the Soul was ranked number one in the compact multi-purpose vehicle segment in 2012, Kia broke into the overall top 10 in 2013, with the Soul and Sportage (tie) taking top honors in their respective segments, and then rose to sixth in the industry in 2014. The company’s $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia – produces the Sorento and Optima, and achieved its highest-ever quality ranking among plants in North/South America in the 2015 study. Additionally, the Kwangju plant where the Soul is produced ranked number one for the Asia Pacific Region.
Kia’s U.S. sales have more than doubled over the last six years as the brand has made significant investments in the market and steadily climbed J.D. Power’s annual IQS rankings. After the Soul was ranked number one in the compact multi-purpose vehicle segment in 2012, Kia broke into the overall top 10 in 2013, with the Soul and Sportage (tie) taking top honors in their respective segments, and then rose to sixth in the industry in 2014. The company’s $1.1 billion manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia – produces the Sorento and Optima, and achieved its highest-ever quality ranking among plants in North/South America in the 2015 study. Additionally, the Kwangju plant where the Soul is produced ranked number one for the Asia Pacific Region.
Now in its 29th year,
the annual J.D. Power IQS analyzes responses from vehicle owners in 26
segments. IQS is determined by vehicle owners evaluating the driving
experience, engine and transmission performance, and a broad range of
quality-related problems within the first 90 days of ownership.
About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea, and in 2014 was the #1 ranked mainstream brand according to Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle***, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea, and in 2014 was the #1 ranked mainstream brand according to Strategic Vision’s Total Quality Index. KMA proudly serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and LPGA and set an all-time annual sales record in 2014, surpassing the 500,000 unit mark for the third consecutive year. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Soul Electric Vehicle***, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States. Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.
Information about KMA
and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media
information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive
custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published,
subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.
* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and
certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and
globally sourced parts
1 The Kia Soul and Kia Sorento received the lowest number of
problems per 100 vehicles among compact multi-purpose vehicles and midsize
SUVs, respectively, in the proprietary J.D. Power 2015 Initial Quality Study.SM Study based on
responses from 84,367 new-vehicle owners, measuring 244 models and measures
opinions after 90 days of ownership. Proprietary study results are based
on experiences and perceptions of owners surveyed in February-May 2015.
Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.
** 2015 K900 V8 available in select
trims and in select markets with limited availability.
*** 2015 Soul EV in select markets
with limited availability.
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