J.D. Power announced today that the Hyundai Genesis received the trophy for the highest initial quality in the midsize premium car segment. The award comes from the J.D. Power 2013 U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS). The Initial Quality Study, now in its 27th year, serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership. According to the study Hyundai Genesis owners reported fewer problems with their vehicles than any premium midsize car.
“Outperforming all of our competitors in the premium midsize car segment is a reflection of the dedication of all Hyundai team members,” said Erwin Raphael, director of engineering and quality, Hyundai Motor America. “Awards like this demonstrate we’re succeeding in connecting with our customers through an unprecedented combination of premium performance, technology, safety and quality.”
In addition to Genesis’s victory, the Hyundai brand substantially reduced problems per 100 vehicles and finished tenth overall, gaining eight rank positions. The Hyundai overall score was 106 problems per 100 vehicles, seven problems fewer than the industry average. Accent, Sonata and Azera ranked second in their respective segments. The all-new Santa Fe ranked third in its segment.
Also J.D. Power has ranked the Kia Soul and Kia Sportage as leaders in the Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle and Sub-Compact CUV segments, respectively. And, for the first time, Kia ranks among the automotive industry’s top 10 nameplates for initial quality. The 2013 Soul ranked first in the Compact MPV segment for the second consecutive year, and the Sportage tied for the highest ranking in the Sub-Compact CUV category.
“Kia Motors is committed to building vehicles that are defined by award-winning design, fun-to-drive performance and world-class quality, and the Soul and Sportage epitomize these attributes,” said Byung Mo Ahn, group president and CEO, Kia Motors America (KMA) and Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). “Achieving top-ten status within the industry reflects just how far the Kia brand has come in improving the ownership experience and vehicle quality for our customers and advancing value to new levels of sophistication across our entire model line.”
According to the IQS study, Kia made substantial improvements with gains that outpaced the industry average and resulted in the brand’s best-ever score. The annual report analyzed responses from 83,442 respondents about 230 vehicle models and attributes across eight categories, including the driving experience, engine and transmission and a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners.
