Kia seeks J.D. Power title to prove quality gains - Automotive News
Kia Motors Corp. Over the past decade, Kia has improved its vehicles by leaps and bounds, culminating last month in a No. 2 finish on J. D. Power and Associates' closely watched Initial Quality Study. Yet in the U. S. , where Kia sold bargain-priced cars such as the Sephia and Spectra for much of its history, customers still hold the brand's quality in low regard. By achieving such a milestone, Kia hopes to accelerate an attitude shift that could otherwise take decades, helping it catch Japanese-brand rivals such as Toyota. "It's a long purchase and consideration cycle for consumers in this industry, so there are still a lot of consumers who aren't paying attention to how far Kia has come," Tim Chaney, vice president of marketing communications at Kia Motors America,... It's no secret Kia has an image problem. This year, when ALG conducted an annual survey in which American consumers rated car brands on quality, Kia ranked third from last, ahead of only Scion and Smart. "Kia doesn't suffer from a lack of quality," Dominique said. "Kia suffers from a lack of people who understand that they have good quality. Many Americans think that Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. Source: www.autonews.com
