Kia quality report: Kia ranks in the TOP10 in Consumer Reports quality study…
According to the new car owner quality survey, issued by Consumer Reports, Korean vehicles (Hyundai and Kia) now rank right up there with the Japanese automakers! And results of their 2008 car reliability survey reveal that Japanese and Korean brands are the one that build the most reliable cars.
Last week, Consumer Reports posted it’s annual Car Reliability Study that surveyed more than 1.4 million Consumer Reports subscribers, covering model years from 1999 to 2008 and ranked Kia and Hyundai, to the list of Top10 carmakers.
According to the survey, Hyundai ranked 8th and improved it’s position by 7 spots from last year. Kia also made a major improvement and came in 10th position, meaning the brand has moved up 12 spots from last year. For the first time, both Korean automakers hit the top 10 list of the annual survey.
Excluding Hyundai and Kia, the remaining spots in the top 10 were all taken by Japanese cars. Topping the list was the Scion, followed by Acura in second and Honda on third place. Toyota way 4th, while Lexus, the company’s luxury line, came in 5th. Nissan’s luxury Infiniti brand came in 6th, Subaru in 7th, Hyundai 8th, Mitsubishi 9th and Kia 10th.
American and European manufacturers ranked low. The best among them was Ford, which ranked 11th. Other Ford’s brands ( Lincoln, Mercury) ranked 15th and 17th, while most of GM brands rated below average. Buick was 18th, Chevrolet 24th, Pontiac 29th, Cadillac 31st.
The highest ranking brand among European products was the Mini at 13th place, while it’s parent company BMW came in 20th. Audi was 22nd, Volkswagen 25th, and Mercedes-Benz 27th, falling far short of their reputations.
October 27th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
O! O! man thats close! Kia’s just a spot above ford!
October 27th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
himi, di you get my mail about mohave? cuz I didnt get reply. I used my new mail ID to send it BTW.
October 27th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
I did, thanks Boris. Will pos it tomorrow,ok!
October 27th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
wow, awesome news! im impressed. they’ll be #1 before long im sure.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Cool news, indeed. Nice to see Mitsubishi in 9th place as well. Like I say, it’s Kia and Mitsubishi for me, for whatever car I may want or need. Unless, of course, I get a wild hair and want a Pinanfarina Bollore all-electric. Google it and find out how cool this new rig is. It is an all-electric and can go 85 mph and last approximately 280 miles on one charge. Re-charge is an 8 hour affair IIRC, conected to a standard 220-volt house outlet. I don’t know about importing them to the U.S. at this point. I am, however, going to follow this pup with ardent interest. I feel they should import this car and get right on it. Ghastly could always ride again in price, and ghastly is quickly running out. We must race on to develop all-electrics. With due diligence.
October 27th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Get outta here Kia’s quility is ranked higher than those American cars? Kia is above Ford and GM?
October 28th, 2008 at 1:15 am
Gee, I know this point really needs to be pushed here in Australia, as Kia has a really bad perception here as a cheap and nasty car. I know even Kia owners have really low esteem with cars and say “I’ve only got a Kia, but I’ve had no trouble with it though”. As though they are expecting problem to arise at some time. I guess it’s human nature, if you pay a bundle for something, it must be good. I hope Kia don’t follow that philosophy and go up in the price bracket too much.
October 28th, 2008 at 3:26 am
prices will keep goin up with price of raw materials like steel but the price will always be lower than jap, american and european rivals although mitsubishi is also a competitor for Kia as they keep prices low.
October 28th, 2008 at 5:15 am
OzyTone, I understand how you feel but it takes a long time to build perception. Perception is subjective so it doesn’t necessarily track linearly with reality. The Japanese makes didn’t achieve it overnight but they persisted and it paid off. The domestics have learned that failure to persist will result in a steady erosion of your customer base. Kia and Hyundai are on the right track and working really hard. I remember when Hyundai first arrived in the US and the excel was a truly morbid pile of trash relative to everything except the Yugo. Hyundai learned from the experience and through successive generations have made huge strides to where they can hold their own against the American and Japanese makes. They’ll get the respect they deserve in time. The new Optima, the Soul and the Forte are good looking, solid cars that don’t immediately scream cheap.
October 28th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
It’s a good Result for KIA , todays Kia cars are better quality and more realible . GOOD LUCK KIA MOTORS TO BEAT THE OTHER BIGGER BRANDS .
October 28th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
That is so cool! I am so excited!!
November 4th, 2008 at 2:39 am
This really says something about Kia. Moving up 12 places in one year! Kia makes a superior products, and someone beating out those idiot Japanese companies is long overdue. Good luck next year Kia!!!
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I am very impressed with the quality of my Kia Sedona EX van. This is the best vehcile I have ever owned. Everyday I drive the Sedona I appreciate the car. It is amazing how KIA quality has sky rocketted in a short period of time. American Car companies should take a page from KIA . I will definatley be buying another KIA in the near future.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Andrew, you’re right. Everyone I know says that their Kia is the best vehicle they’ve ever owned.
January 21st, 2009 at 10:52 pm
KIA deserves it it’s realy one of the best car brands world wide.. cong. KIA keep going
January 21st, 2009 at 10:54 pm
i’m realy happy with my new PICANTO it’s realy fantastic..
April 25th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Just traded in my Dodge Grand Caravan after multiple problems from day one. Unfortunatley, my wife made me trade in my Mitsubishi Lancer also. I have always had Mitsu and Honda’s. I hope the Kia Sedona does not dissappoint!
May 29th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
5/29/2011 I own a kia soul 4door 2011 – I have an issue with the car. While left rear window open speed 40 plus – the wind enters the car and building up a lot of pressure – it is impossible to drive like this – we understand that the car was made without knowing this issue . we were recommended by the dealer to purchase and install not under warantee a kit called sports visor for the 4 doors – it may solve some of the pressure – this is only a cosmetic – not a real solution. Can the manufacturer help us with this issue. Please research this issue and see if there is any solution with this car with the wind pressure. Please write me back as soon as possible.- I need to find answeres. thank you!!!!!
May 30th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
Try rolling up the window. It’s called buffeting and happens on all cars.
May 30th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
To S.G: You mean to tell me that the 3 door soul is already out? Lol. Anyway, do you have the other windows rolled down? If so, do they not make wind noises too? How can you get a breeze with the rear window on the left open and not the others? Are you doing this to reserve gas by avoided the AC? Did you know that the car is actually more fuel efficent by having the AC on and having all the windows up? Do you have a sunroof? If so did you know that if you have the sunroof tilted and the rear right window craked instead, air gushes throught the entire cabin? It doesn’t even make a lot of wind noise and you don’t have to use the AC as much. I read it on my owner’s manual. It works!!! Try it and let me know how that works.
June 23rd, 2011 at 2:57 am
im still getting my Kia soul.
June 30th, 2011 at 7:56 pm
This all GREAT to hear! I’m looking at purchasing a 2011 KIA Forte SX sedan…. the reviews I’ve read on the internet by owners and automotive mags alike give this car a solid THUMBS UP! It will give the Honda Civic, Ford Focus, and Mazda 3 a run for thier money I’m sure!