Kia Takes Top Honours in 2022 U.S. Study
- Kia is the top-ranked brand overall in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), including all mass-market and premium brands.
- Kia Sorento took the top honour in the upper midsize SUV segment for the second consecutive year.
“The VDS results speak to Kia’s dedication to delivering vehicles that not only excel in areas long-appreciated by owners, like design and driving experience, but also across innovative technologies that have become a crucial part of the overall ownership experience. We strive to maintain these high standards in all the vehicles we build,” said Seog-ju Cha, Head of Quality Division at Hyundai Motor Group.
Based on the new criteria, Kia jumped two positions to take the top spot overall with a PP100 score of 145, beating the industry average by 47 points. It is the second consecutive year that Kia has claimed the top spot among mass-market brands, coming in third overall last year behind two premium brands. This is the first time that a non-premium brand has been awarded first overall in the ranking in the history of VDS.
For the 2022 VDS, J.D. Power surveyed 29,487 customers in the U.S. across 32 automotive brands. Only verified purchasers and lessees of new 2019 model-year cars and light trucks registered for personal use were considered. After the study’s redesign, the industry’s problem levels are 59 percent higher in 2022 than in 2021, with the industry average increasing from 121 to 192.
