The Results Are In: Kia is Most Awarded Brand in J.D. Power 2022 APEAL Study

There are so many different sources and teams of experts that are poised to put new vehicles to the test, and the team at Jim Butler Kia of St. Louis is extremely proud of how well the Kia lineup has performed in every test drive, review or study thrown its way. The J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Awards closely followed Kia’s arsenal of models during this year’s study and recognized three of our brightly shining stars on wheels for their superior performance and appeal.

The brand-new EV6 took the top spot in the Compact SUV segment, while the K5 and Carnival MPV each took first in their respective categories. These three APEAL awards strongly reinforce how our brand has changed to be a prominent leader in not just the automotive industry, but also in mobility and electrification after taking note of the very high marks the EV6 has received since its arrival on the scene. The APEAL study is taken from vehicle owners that are asked to consider 40 various traits separated into 10 different experience groups. 

J.D. Power then analyzes the different responses to generate an overall APEAL score gleaned from a range of a 1,000-point scale. Here are some more fine details this tremendous trio won everyone over with:

The Brand-New EV6 boasts an Electric-Global Modular Platform that underpins the all-new model in RWD or Dual-Motor AWD, and derives power from a state-of-the-art 77.4kWh high-density lithium-ion battery. You’ll thoroughly enjoy an EPA-rated 310-mile range for road trips and excursions, along with ultra-fast DC charging capability from 10-80 percent charge in under 18 minutes. It’s quite luxurious stretching out in 102 cu-ft. of passenger room, also offering 50.2 cu-ft. of space with the second-row seats folded down. Another very awesome feature of the EV6 is its Augmented Reality Head-Up Display system, which projects incredibly realistic 3-D images directly on the windshield! 

The 2022 Kia Carnival MPV offers up dynamic and very practical performance with its new more-powerful 3.5-liter V6, which delivers best-in-class 290 horsepower and 3,500 lbs. of towing capacity. The longer journeys will be very luxurious and just what the “getting away from the cubicle” plan outlined with the side-flex 2nd-row seating and VIP Lounge Seating options. Traveling with all your most loved ones in tow will be amazing courtesy of 12 standard Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, which is the most available of any model in the segment. Disrupting a category that had not been shaken or stirred for decades, the Carnival truly proves in the flesh what is possible when stereotypes and conventional thinking are challenged. 

The Kia K5 features a very lively interior and exterior, and a delightfully quick and sporty 290-hp GT model. It’s classified as a family sedan, but its exciting design succeeds perfectly at the task of rivaling competing crosstown models such as the Honda Accord, with a consumer-friendly price for 2022 and pleasantly edgy manners. Named to the Car and Driver Editor’s Choice list and providing many great safety standard features and infotainment technology, the front-drive LXS now also has rear-seat USB charge ports. Every GT-Line comes equipped with 18-inch wheels, a 10-way power driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and wireless smartphone charging.

2022 Kia Carnival Post-Year-Long Test from Cnet Crew: “It’s Absolutely a Keeper”

Here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis as we think about all the marked spots on our busy calendar, we realized that sometimes a year can feel like an eternity, but sometimes 12 months just fly right by. The Cnet auto testing team concurred that after a full year of driving the Kia Carnival, it deserves to “be brought home for the long haul”. Also headed into their task with a full-on understanding that minivans suffer from the stigma that they are simply not hip, they concluded by stating that the Carnival will enthusiastically do anything an SUV can, and look stellar doing it!

They opted for the fully loaded Carnival SX Prestige and felt during every single drive that it always was swinging way above its class. Inside and out, the Carnival was constantly earning compliments, and one impressed coffee barista told Editor Chris Paukert that it was the “fanciest Kia they had ever laid eyes on”. Some of the features that were earliest appreciated were the very rich two-tone Tuscan umber and black leather upholstery, along with the extensive metal detailing throughout the cabin. 

After a full year of wear and tear and all varieties of driving types, the cabin still looked and felt as solid as it did the very first day it had arrived at the team off the lot. One of the most noticeable results of the efforts to make the Carnival “not look like a minivan” was a tall order to follow through with, but Cnet along with many other auto experts claimed that the task at hand was handled amazingly. Another one of the “huge win” factors is the VIP Lounge seats: these second-row captain’s chairs slide forward, left and right, and backwards, and also come equipped with full power adjustment so you can recline them for even more luxury. 

This is an excellent feature for anyone dragging dogs along in tow, and they also make the Carnival much easier to use for delivery jobs and larger groups of people for sports or other awesome summer activities! The 12.3-inch displays are available on higher-end models, and Kia’s signature brand of multimedia software is user-friendly and helpful right from the start. Another tech feature that the team was enamored with was the Highway Driving Assist, which they deemed as “The best system short of a true hands-free highway driving feature”.

The movement was very natural and imitated the way that a human would behave and react to on-road situations. The team not once had to have it veer into a different lane or ride on the shoulder, and thereby had a lot of confidence with the system engaged. Most Missouri families will also be glad to hear that road trips are what the Carnival did best, with the ideal ride height for highway cruising and the extreme comfort factor to really sprawl out and enjoy the distance at hand. Even though some of our other esteemed models such as the Telluride have all-wheel drive, this was the ideal family-mover and daily driver that the Cnet team was genuinely sad to see go!