J.D. Power Initial Quality Study Awards Kia Highest Ranking in Company History
The 2015 Kia Soul helped Kia earn a top spot on the 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
Long gone are the days when many American consumers didn’t even consider buying a Kia when shopping for a new car. Over the course of the past decade, Kia has made an effort to produce more affordable, luxurious vehicles than ever before. Now, the South Korean carmaker is quickly making headway in the industry. Most recently, Kia earned its highest ranking ever in the 2015 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), scoring the second-highest score industry-wide.
The annual IQS examines the survey responses from vehicle owners in 26 segments. These responses cover a broad range of questions regarding the first 90 days of owner ship, including an evaluation of driving experience, engine performance, and transmission performance. Kia’s IQS score increase by 20 points over its 2014 score, allowing the Korean carmaker to move up four positions to second place out of 33 automotive brands.
In the last six years, Kia’s sales in the United States have doubled, mostly due to the popularity of the Kia Soul and its funky, fresh styling. After ranking number one in the compact multi-purpose vehicle segment in 2012, the Soul helped Kia break into J.D. Power’s top 10 in 2013. From there, the Korean company could only go up, finally earning its second place spot in the 2015 IQS.
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