By Jhoo Dong-chan
A highly regarded auto research institute has recognized Kia Motors’ competitiveness in quality this year.
According to the U.S.-based J.D. Power, Thursday, four Kia models _ the K5 sedan, the Sorento SUV, the Soul crossover and the Carnival minivan _ received the highest rankings in their classes in the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study.
Kia Motors’ brand ranking jumped to third place this year, up from seventh last year.
J.D. Power’s annual APEAL studies consumer satisfaction with their cars 90 days after buying them. It evaluates 77 attributes in eight categories: engine and transmission, ride/handling/braking, comfort and convenience, seats, cockpit and instrument panel, heating/cooling and ventilation, sound system and exterior styling. Each car in the study is rated on a 1,000-point scale then ranked within their respective categories.
Consumers who bought cars between November and February were surveyed for the study.
The Kia K5 sedan received favorable ratings for its passenger seats and interior size garnering 837 points out of 1,000, outscoring the Nissan Altima, the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry in the midsize car class.
The Sorento SUV also received 822 points in the study to outscore the Ford Edge, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Toyota Highlander in the midsize SUV class.
The Carnival minivan got 795 points for high satisfaction in its exterior and driving performance, topping the minivan class two years in a row, followed by the Toyota Sienna and the Honda Odyssey minivan.
Kia Motors’ bestselling Soul also received 806 points in the study, outscoring the Ford C-Max and the Toyota Prius V to top the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) class.
It appears, however, that 2016 has been a disappointing year for Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors’ sister brand.
Korea’s largest carmaker has only one model ranked highest in its class in the APEAL study this year ― the Tucson SUV.
The Tucson received 804 points to outscore the Subaru CrossTrek and the Volkswagen Tiguan in the small SUV class.
Hyundai Motor’s brand value ranked second in last year’s APEAL study, but plunged to ninth place this year.
General Motors had six models rank highest in their class for the APEAL study, the most for any single automaker this year.
The German auto brand Volkswagen and BMW’s compact car unit Mini took the first and second in brand value ranking.