Kia Tops JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study

The J.D. Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) has ranked Kia as the overall leader among all major automotive manufacturers (mainstream and luxury) in the United States. Kia has achieved this feat for the first time in history. In addition, Kia’s popular Sorento has bagged the top spot in the J.D. Power VDS study’s upper mid-size SUV category. The Kia Sorento is a three-row mid-size SUV that is built at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia. 

J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study is an industry-wide study that examines problems experienced during the past 12 months by the original owners of three-year-old vehicles (i.e. 2019 model year). As per J.D. Power, the overall dependability of the vehicle is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100). Thus, a lower score reflects a higher level of quality. Kia bagged the top spot with a score of 145 PP100. 

Moreover, Kia also achieved the highest number of J.D. Power Initial Quality awards in the industry in 2021. The study comprised 29,487 completed surveys and measured the quality of today’s vehicles, especially new technologies and features currently available to buyers. The specific problem symptoms were grouped into five major vehicle areas. They are – PP100, software updates, component replacement, vehicle appeal, and deterioration. 

Commenting on this achievement, Sean Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America, said, “The results of this year’s J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study substantiate Kia’s unrelenting commitment to the quality, durability and craftsmanship of our award-winning vehicle line. Furthermore, the Sorento’s category win speaks to the world-class ownership experience we deliver to our customers.”