Kia tops mass market segment in JD Power US Vehicle Dependability Study

Korean automotive manufacturer Kia is at the top of the charts yet again—not because of the earworm for the Kia Stonic, but for its dependability.

Based on the recent JD Power Dependability Survey, Kia spearheaded the mass-market brands after only recording 97 problems per 100 vehicles (97 PP100). The result reflected a significant reduction of 35 PP100 from the previous year’s research.

The same survey also showed the Sportage and Sorento SUVs topping their respective segments.

Kia Philippines President Manny Aligada said that the JD Power results are not that much of a surprise and that the latest recognition “illustrates Kia’s new global motto ‘Movement that Inspires’ being applied in real terms, with tangible benefits to Kia vehicle owners”.

“From the beginning, we have anchored ourselves on the brand’s reliability that Filipinos can count on.  This recent acknowledgment just boosted our motivation to inspire the local automotive market and up their game in terms of giving the market what they truly deserve,” Aligada said.

The newest achievement follows the string of acknowledgments given by the US-based global market research company. Last year, Kia had a score of 136 PP100 in the JD Power Initial Quality Study (IQS)—sharing the top spot with American Dodge.

Both Kia Sorento and Sportage are not new in cornering top honors. In the 2017-2018 JD Power IQS, Sorento  was ranked the highest in the midsize SUV segment while the Sportage also topped the compact SUV segment in the JD Power IQS and VDS in 2019.  

These two vehicles are within the Kia Philippines roster.

The Philippine distributor said that Kia is not just in the business of selling vehicles but also providing fulfilling ownership experience.

“For Kia, the experience of owning, driving, and riding in a world-class vehicle shouldn’t only be felt merely at the present or in the moment.  The most fulfilling ownership experience happens when one relishes the thought of driving that same car well into the future, with no worries in sight,” Kia Philippines said in its statement.

“That is the epitome of dependability.  In Kia Philippines, dependability is most felt and experienced with its 'Promise to Care' program, wherein every vehicle comes with a five-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty (whichever comes first), except for the K2500 which offers a three-year or 110,000 km-warranty,” it explained.

Aside from that, Kia Philippines gives vehicle owners 24/7 Roadside Assistance, which is free for the first five years and also includes emergency towing, minor onsite repair, personal and medical assistance, and information service.

Kia Philippines has also made dependability a key promise for its parts supplies and servicing. To ensure its dealerships are supplied with authentic parts on time anytime, Kia Philippines has increased its inventory for maintenance and mechanical parts five-fold, and has inked a strategic partnership with logistics firm DHL.

“The highest level of dependability that our customers experience with our vehicles is the same level they will experience with our services. That’s how we can bring back and maintain consumer confidence in the Philippine automotive market,” Aligada concluded.

Photos from Kia Philippines

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