KIA Rio ranks highest in 2018 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study
The 2018 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) has ranked the KIA Rio as the leader in the Small Car category.
Image Supplied by KIA
The industrywide study examines problems reported during the past 12 months by original owners of three-year old vehicles (2015 model year). Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), thus a lower score suggests a higher long-term quality level. The KIA Rio ranked highest, with a score of 103 PP100.
“The results of the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study demonstrate KIA’s continued commitment to quality and in building world-class products that offer tremendous value to our customers,” said Greg Silvestri, Head of Service Operations, KIA Motors America (KMA). “The Rio is yet another example of how far the entire KIA model line-up has progressed, and this kind of quality is tangible evidence of our long-term strategy to enhance the KIA ownership experience.”
Known globally as the world’s most trusted source of consumer research, one of the Vehicle Dependability Study’s key findings is that mass market brands are continuing to close the gap with luxury brands. The mass market average (143 PP100) is now just 7 PP100 behind the luxury average (136 PP100), a result of many high-volume vehicles rewarding their owners with excellent long-term dependability.
KIA – which has shown consistent and marked improvements in the annual study – now ranks 2nd among Non-Premium marques with just 122 PP100, well above the mass market average.
Industrywide, KIA has gained 12 rank positions since the 2016 VDS, and now ranks 5th overall (up from 11th in 2017) – the brand’s best-ever placement in the study.
The 2018 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 36,896 original owners of 2015 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership. The study aims to measure the long-term quality of vehicles, including new technologies and features currently available to buyers. It includes 32 nameplates and 225 models, covering 177 specific problem symptoms grouped into eight major vehicle categories (Seats, HVAC, Features/Controls/Displays (FCD), Driving Experience, Interior, Engine/Transmission, Exterior, Audio/Communication/Entertainment & Navigation (ACEN). In the 2018 study, KIA improved across every category.
“The Rio’s stellar performance in this study – which relates to one of the biggest automotive markets in the world – should be no surprise to South African owners of our bestselling Rio, which is sourced from the same world-class assembly,” says Gary Scott, CEO of KIA Motors South Africa.
About KIA Motors Corporation (http://www.kia.com)
KIA Motors Corporation (www.KIA.com) – a maker of world-class vehicles for the young-at-heart – was founded in 1944 and is Korea's oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles. Over 3million KIA vehicles a year are produced at 14 manufacturing and assembly operations in five countries which are then sold and serviced through a network of distributors and dealers covering around 180 countries. KIA today has over 50,000 employees worldwide and annual revenues of nearly US$44 billion. It is the major sponsor of the Australian Open and an official automotive partner of FIFA – the governing body of the FIFA World Cup™. KIA Motors Corporation's brand slogan – "The Power to Surprise" – represents the company's global commitment to surprise the world by providing exciting and inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations.
About KIA Motors South Africa (www.kia.co.za)
KIA Motors South Africa was founded in December 1997, and joined Associated Motor Holdings (AMH), a division of IMPERIAL, in 1998. As the official importer and distributor of KIA Motors in southern Africa, it has a network spanning more than 77 dealerships throughout South Africa, including Namibia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe, and offers a full range of passenger vehicles and light commercials.
