Kia Ranks Highest among Nameplates, Ending 27-Year Reign for Premium Brands

DETROIT: 22 June 2016 — New-vehicle quality improves 6%, double the 3% rate of improvement in 2015 and the largest increase since 2009, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS), released today.

The study, now in its 30th year, examines problems experienced by vehicle owners during the first 90 days of ownership. Initial quality is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

Quality improves across all eight problem categories measured in the study, with 21 of the 33 brands included in the study improving their quality in 2016 and one remaining the same.

“Manufacturers are currently making some of the highest quality products we’ve ever seen,” said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power. “Tracking our data over the past several years, it has become clear that automakers are listening to the customer, identifying pain points and are focused on continuous improvement. Even as they add more content, including advanced technologies that have had a reputation for causing problems, overall quality continues to improve.”

Following are some of the study’s key findings:

• U.S. Domestic Automakers Show Strong Improvement: For just the second time in the 30-year history of the study, U.S. domestic brands collectively have lower problem levels than all their import counterparts combined. All three U.S. domestic automakers post year-over-year quality improvements. The “Detroit Three” achieve a combined average of 103 PP100, improving 10% from 2015, which is double the improvement rate of the import brands at 106 PP100. The last time U.S. domestic brands outpaced imports was in 2010, when they held a 1 PP100 advantage (108 PP100 vs. 109 PP100, respectively).
• Non-Premium Brands Have Fewer Problems: For the first time since 2006, non-premium brands have fewer problems (104 PP100) than premium brands (108 PP100).
• High Quality = High Loyalty: Expected reliability remains the most important consideration when purchasing a new vehicle, cited by 49% of owners. J.D. Power has studied consumer behavior from when they purchase or lease their new vehicle through when they are back in the market for their next vehicle in order to measure the impact initial quality has on brand loyalty.[1] Among owners who experience no problems with their vehicle in the first 90 days, 54% stay with the same brand for their next vehicle. Loyalty drops to 50% among owners who experience one problem with their vehicle and to 45% among those who experience three or more problems.

“There is a direct correlation between the number of problems a customer has with their new vehicle and the decisions they make when it comes time to purchase or lease their next car or truck,” said Stephens. “While a small drop in actual loyalty may not sound like much, a percentage point drop in share can mean millions of dollars in lost revenue to an automaker.”

Highest-Ranked Nameplates and Models

• Kia ranks highest in initial quality with a score of 83 PP100, the first time in 27 years that a non-premium brand has topped the rankings. It is also the second consecutive year that Kia, which ranked second in 2015, has led all non-premium makes in initial quality.
• Porsche (84 PP100) ranks second among nameplates, followed by Hyundai (92 PP100), Toyota (93 PP100) and BMW (94 PP100).
• Chrysler and Jeep are the most improved brands, each reducing the number of problems by 28 PP100 from 2015. 

General Motors receives seven model-level awards, followed by Toyota Motor Corporation with six and Hyundai Motor Company and Volkswagen AG, each with four.

• General Motors models that rank highest in their respective segments are the Buick Cascada; Chevrolet Equinox; Chevrolet Silverado HD; Chevrolet Silverado LD; Chevrolet Spark; Chevrolet Tahoe; and GMC Terrain.

• Toyota Motor Corporation models that rank highest in their segment are the Lexus CT; Lexus GS; Scion tC; Toyota Camry; Toyota Corolla; and Toyota Highlander.

• Hyundai Motor Company models that rank highest in their segment are the Hyundai Accent; Hyundai Azera; Kia Soul; and Kia Sportage.

• Volkswagen AG models that rank highest in their segment are the Audi Q3, Audi TT, Porsche Macan and Porsche 911.

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Kia Sorento among Consumer Reports top picks

 

Consumer Reports 2016 Top Car Picks (1:46 sec. - Kia Sorento)

Consumer Reports 2016 Top Picks for cars represent the best of the best of the 260 vehicles recently tested in 10 categories. To be a Consumer Reports Top Pick, a vehicle needs to drive beautifully, have a strong record of reliability and be safe, and it needs to make its owners happy.

The Kia Sorento is a Consumer Reports 2016 Top Pick midsized SUV. For years, Toyota has won this category, but the Kia Sorento has overtaken it. It has a powerful engine, did great in crash tests and got high scores for reliability. And the great thing is that it feels luxurious inside, like you’ve spent a whole lot more money than you actually did.

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Kudos To Kia

Kia Motors has continued its rise to brand stardom in recent months, racking up awards and accolades for various achievements. Design, safety, eco-friendly -- Kia has it all.

In November, the Kia Picanto won the International Forum (iF) Design award. The three-door Picanto, only available in Europe, won the award for its "pure design quality, workmanship, innovation and eco-friendliness." The Picanto boasts a sporty exterior, Bluetooth voice activation, and other nifty features, as well as a low CO2 emissions rate of 95 g/km. Along with its 7-year/100,000 mile warranty, and low price, it's no wonder the Kia Picanto won the fourth Kia iF Design Award in three years.

Kia's Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer said: "Receiving the iF product design award for the new Kia Picanto is a great success for our design team and it is welcome recognition of our brand's design-oriented strategy."

A month later, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named their Top Safety Picks for 2012. A record 115 models all made the cut for various vehicle segments. The IIHS rating tests include:

• 40 mph frontal offset crash tests
• 31 mph side-impact tests
• A roof test requiring the vehicle to withstand a force of four times the vehicle's weight before reaching 5 inches of crush. (The IIHS roof test is more severe than the government's, though a tougher federal rule takes effect for 2013 models.)
• A 20 mph rear crash that also tests the head restraint protection

The Kia Soul and Forte sedan both won Top Safety Pick awards for the small-car classification. The Optima won for midsize moderately priced cars, the Sportage for small SUVs, and the Sorento for midsize SUVs.

Vroomgirls.com came out with their first ever Cars of the Year Awards for 2011. Who did they choose for Best Hatchback? The Kia Rio SX! In their words the Rio is "fantastically roomy, agile on the road, zippy and low priced. Honestly, what more could any driver want?" We couldn't put it better ourselves. The Rio also gets great gas mileage at 30 mpg-city/40 mpg-highway.

Two weeks ago Kia scooped the What Car? Ultra Low Carbon Award for its environmentally efficient range of cars, in particular the Rio and Pecanto models. The Rio, with CO2 emissions as low as 85 g/km, making it the cleanest non-electric car in the world. What Car? Magazine honored the Picanto last summer at their Green Awards ceremony.

Paul Philpott, Chief Operating Officer of Kia Motors Europe, received the Ultra Low Carbon Award saying, ”Kia has been striving over recent years not only to deliver exciting, attractive, high-quality cars - but also to deliver real benefits to customers in the form of cleaner technologies that don’t carry a price premium. We are delighted that What Car? – one of Europe’s leading consumer magazines – has recognized our efforts.”

To learn more about buying your own amazing Kia contact Gary Rome Auto Group today!

Kia Amanti Tops Strategic Vision SmartGreenIndexSM

Award-winning full-size sedan honored in new study

# Amanti spotlighted for quality, fuel efficiency and overall value
# Six Kia vehicles recognized as SmartGreenSM

IRVINE, Calif., September 29, 2008 - Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the Kia Amanti topped the large car segment in the newest Strategic Vision automotive metric, the SmartGreenIndexSM (SGISM). The SGI reflects the relationships between perceived quality plus overall value and issues including fuel economy and environmental friendliness.

In addition to Amanti, according to the new SGI, Spectra compact, Rondo CUV, Sportage compact SUV, Sorento midsize SUV and Sedona minivan also scored highly in their respective segments. These placements further express consumers are taking note of Kia's efforts in providing stylish, comfortable and economically-friendly vehicles.

"Seeing Amanti at the top of the SmartGreenIndex is a testament to our continuing consumer satisfaction," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. "We also are very proud of the other Kia vehicles recognized by Strategic Vision and consumers, further exemplifying Kia as a consumer-minded manufacturer committed to offering quality, fuel-efficient vehicles to smart, discerning customers."

Strategic Vision calculated the SGI from 44,320 buyer responses who purchased 2008 or 2009 models from September 2007 to March 2008. SmartGreen is based on actual customer experiences and is weighted according to those aspects which best predict customer advocacy, overall satisfaction, future brand choices and loyalty, which ultimately result in increased model and brand sales.

Already a recipient of a J.D. Power and Associates APEAL Award in 2005 and recently awarded a "Good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in side impact crash tests, Amanti offers outstanding safety features, luxury and overall convenience in the full-size sedan segment, coming standard with amenities including: eight airbags; leather, chrome and wood accents; and a 3.8-liter all-aluminum DOHC V6 engine which generates 264 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 640 dealers throughout the United States. For 2007, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of record U.S. sales. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."