Kia Sorento Rises to Top of Class in UK JD Power Survey

Sorento is Only 4x4 to Score Maximum 5-Star Rating

If youre still questioning whether the South Koreans build vehicles as well as the Japanese, all you need to do is look up some recent third party survey information and your concerns will be put to rest.

Last month Consumer Reports (CR) announced that the Hyundai Sonata is the most reliable vehicle available in the U.S., eclipsing the Lexus LS 430 no less (see automotive news for Mar 15, 2005: Hyundai Sonata is Tops in Consumer Reports Reliability Survey), and before that the Sonata was awarded top Entry Midsize Car in the 2004 J. D. Power and Associates 2004 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which came out last year.

The midsize Sorento has brought a lot of respect to the Kia brand name since its inception in 2002, winning award after award and a lot of happy customers along the way. To name a few, of the awards not the customers, it held the highest consumer rating voted by new car buyers in the 2003 Strategic Vision Total Quality Index (TQI) (see automotive news for June 13, 2003: Kia Sorento Receives Top Award for Quality), it was voted winner of the "Official Winter Vehicle of New England" competition by the New England Motor Press Association (NEMPA) and won the prestigious 2003 "Drivers Choice" Award for Best Mid-Size SUV (see automotive news for April 2, 2003: Kia Taking Its Sorento SUV to the Top).

But it is not just in North America that Kias off-roader is leaving tread marks. It also won Best Off-Roading Vehicle by 4x4 Magazine in the UK (see automotive news for August 18, 2003: Kia Sorento Wins 4x4 of the Year Award in U.K.), obviously a presage for its latest U.K. accolades.

Making its first appearance in the same countrys annual J.D. Power & Associates Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey, the Sorento scored a segment victory as the best 4x4, only 4x4 with a 5-Star rating and 7th best overall vehicle available.

Managing a CSI rating of 84 percent, the Sorento and its ownership experience were described by J.D. Power associate WhatCar? magazine as "good or above average in seven of the eight survey categories... the cabin is practical, seats comfortable, styling attractive... dealers are helpful and polite... some of the lowest running-costs in the 4x4 class... a worthy winner."

"The introduction of the Sorento SUV to our line-up in 2002 took Kia Motors to a whole new level by redefining our brand as not just a maker of small, low-cost vehicles, and we have not looked back since," commented Yong-Hwan Kim, Senior Executive Vice President & COO of Kia Motors Corporation. "In 2004, the Sorento was our third leading seller globally with 106,269 units sold, and we expect this popular model to become our top seller in 2005 with nearly 121,000 units being delivered to customers."

A total of 90,000 random U.K. owners of vehicles purchased between September 2002 and August 2003 were surveyed about vehicle

performance, interior comfort and practicality, exterior styling, mechanical, interior and exterior problems, dealer service and ownership costs; 70 questions in total.

Out of 124 different models, Kias Sorento ranked 7th; its main 4x4 competitors, the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail were ranked 13th, 15th, 16th and 27th respectively.

"Kia has made giant steps to improve its entire model range in recent years and the J.D. Power survey results confirm that the Sorento is an immensely satisfying vehicle to own," commented Jean-Charles Lievens, Senior Vice President of Kia Motors Europe.

The Sorento sold in the U.K. is virtually the same model that Kia Canada sells here, as are its competitors, and therefore its competitive advantages overseas also make it a formidable contender within the American midsize SUV market segment.