Kia succeeds in J.D. Power survey

Posted on 06/19/2007 under: News, Kia

Kia has made another major step forward in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality StudyTM (IQS), which surveys the number of problems new vehicle owners experience after three months of ownership in the U.S. For the first time the brand rated above average performance amongst volume brands. Kia posted an 11-point year-on-year improvement on 2006, scoring 125 points. The manufacturer has seen a consistent increase in scores, in two distinct categories – quality of design and quality of production. Improving by 43 points since 2003, Kia has achieved the best improvement of all non-premium brands on the survey over the last five years.

Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors Corporation, said, “This result reflects the consistent advances we have made in terms of all aspects of quality over the last five years, increasingly satisfying customers as they drive our products. Alongside the positive feedback we have received from the recent launch of the cee’d in Europe, this is encouraging us to continually develop the already high standards and excellence of our products.”

The Kia Rio ranked highest in the B-segment of the IQS. Completely redesigned in 2006, this is the second consecutive year Rio has received this honour.

The J.D. Power annual report is one of the most comprehensive of its type, measuring 228 vehicle attributes across eight categories, including the driving experience, engine and transmission, as well as a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners.

“The J.D. Power IQS awards are particularly significant as they are based directly on positive feedback from Kia owners,” said Len Hunt, Executive Vice President and COO of Kia Motors America. “Hot on the heels of the Strategic Vision Total Quality Index™ honours, this recent accolade further demonstrates the strength of the full Kia range.”

Source: Kia