Naturally, we love the first-rate Kia vehicles that are on our lot here in Irvine CA, but our customers don’t have to just take our word for the high-quality of these model. Thanks to the recently released results of the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) awards, we know that four models on our lot top their segments. Also, the Kia brand as a whole ranks third among non-premium automotive companies. Keep reading to get more details on the Kia 2016 APEAL Awards.
Read More: Kia Optima and Sedona Win in Ideal Vehicle Evaluation
The 2016 Kia Optima won the J.D. Power APEAL award in its midsize car segment and did better than the segment average by 25 points. The 2016 Kia Sorento midsize SUV also took the lead in its extremely competitive category while the 2016 Kia Sedona took an APEAL Award in the minivan segment for the second year in a row.
Of course another top performer in the study was the 2016 Kia Soul. This extremely cool small car took top place in the compact multipurpose car category for the fourth year since 2012.
“Customers want vehicles they’re proud to drive, and Kia earning four J.D. Power APEAL awards, a record for the brand, reflects our global focus of placing our customers first,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, Kia Motors America in a recent Kia press release. “Buyers today are smarter than ever and are looking for vehicles that offer a superior combination of design, technology, safety and premium amenities. The Optima, Sorento, Sedona and Soul are prime examples of these important attributes as more people discover the new Kia and its world-class model line every day.”
The J.D. Power APEAL study looks at owner satisfaction after about three months of ownership. When analyzing features like the sound system, climate control, engine and transmission, fuel efficiency, and interior and exterior appearance, these four award-winning Kia vehicles ended up at the very top. This has pushed the Kia brand from seventh place in the APEAL non-premium line-up (in 2015) to third place! This means that Kia vehicles deliver hand-in-hand quality and affordability.