KIA Tops Rankings in 2016 J.D. Power Study

KIA Motors was recently recognized by J.D Power as the highest scoring nameplate in its annual Initial Quality Study (IQS). All 33 makes in the U.S. are evaluated in this study, so needless to say, it was a huge feat for KIA. This marks the first time in 27 years that a non-premium brand has topped the rankings. 

These IQS rankings are determined by the owners of vehicles, who evaluate the driving experience, engine and transmission performance, and a range of quality-related problems that may occur within the first 90 days of ownership.

Contributing to KIA’s success is the segment-leading performances from the Sportage and Soul. Additionally, the Forte, Rio, and Sorento all ranked in the top three of their respective categories. KIA’s sales in the U.S. have grown consistently over the last four years, as have their performance in the J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study. In 2013, they made it to the the overall top 10, placing second in the industry and led all non-premium makes in IQS in 2015.

Michael Sprague, chief operating officer and EVP, KIA Motors America states, “Ranking number one in the entire industry for initial quality is the result of Kia’s decade-long focus on craftsmanship and continuous improvement, and reflects the voice of our customers, which is the ultimate affirmation. As the highest ranked brand in the industry, there is no doubt Kia is a world-class automaker.” 
 
Visit us at Jim Butler KIA in St. Louis, Missouri to test out the KIA Sportage, Soul, Forte, Rio, or Sorento for yourself!

Source: KIA Media

2016 KIA Optima and Soul Drive Away with Two Great Awards

Both the 2016 KIA Optima midsize sedan and the the 2016 Soul hatchback have been named among the 10 Best Family Cars of 2016 by Parents magazine and Edmunds.com. KIA Motors America is one of just two brands that had two vehicles make the prestigious list.

Parents magazine and Edmunds.com create this annual list after evaluating a variety of factors, which include the quality of the ride, comfort and capacity, fuel efficiency, price and value, safety, and reliability. The Optima and Soul were designed with these qualities in mind, with the Optima earning the title of “Best Sedan” and the Soul being recognized as “Best Budget Vehicle”.

Dana Points, editor-in-chief of Parents magazine stated, “The Soul is a great starter model for young families, with surprising room at a base price of $15,900. Additionally, the redesigned Optima sedan is striking inside and out, with advanced technology, a smooth ride and better fuel economy than the previous car.” 

Customers at Jim Butler KIA enjoy the fuel economy of the Soul and its utility. As for the 2016 Optima, St. Louis drivers appreciate its spacious interior and available technology, in addition to its great safety features. 

Check out and test drive both of these awesome vehicles at Jim Butler KIA in St. Louis, MO! 

Source: KIA Media 

Strategic Vision Names KIA Motors “Highest Quality Brand Under $26,000”

KIA Motors has won yet another award; Strategic Vision recently named KIA the “Highest Quality Brand Under $26,000” (in a tie) in their Total Quality Impact study, which surveys over 39,000 people. This study is considered to be the automotive industry’s most complete measure of the quality of a new vehicle, according to the consultancy’s website. 

The KIA Sorento and Sedona specifically achieved the highest scores of the study. Specifically the Sorento was praised for its value and interior design, which we at Jim Butler KIA can attribute to the 2016 Sorento being a top seller in the St. Louis Area. The Sedona was praised for its features, craftsmanship, and performance which had dramatically increased with the recent redesign.  Orth Hendrick, the vice president of product planning at KIA Motors America commented on this victory, saying “the Sorento and Sedona are prime examples of KIA’s commitment to surpassing consumers’ expectations in everything we do.” We look to see more and more St. Louis car buyers shopping for a new KIA as our award winning lineup keeps growing. 

Jim Butler KIA is proud to provide quality cars at an affordable price. Hurry in to Jim Butler KIA today to test drive one of our award-winning vehicles for yourself!  

KIA Motors Ranks High at the AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards

Jim Butler KIA is proud to announce that KIA Motors ranked first among all popular brands and fifth overall in the industry, beating luxury brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche in the 2016 AutoPacific Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSA). The KIA Soul, Optima, and Sedona have also each been named the Most Satisfying Cars in their segments this year.

The Autoacific VSA’s nominate the most satisfying vehicles for sale based on roughly 65,000 surveys completed by owners of 2015 and 2016 vehicles. Orth Hendrick, vice president of product planning at KIA Motors explains that “AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards have become an industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied owners are with their new vehicle…The Soul, Optima, and Sedona…represent just how far the KIA brand has come.” The AutoPacific VSA’s are of to help new-car buyers in making informed vehicle purchase decisions. Come into Jim Butler KIA today and try out one of these award-winning vehicles for yourself!

  

Introducing Kia's Apple Carplay With UVO

Kia motors is proud to announce its revolutionary technology in phone to car integrated technology with the launch of Apple Carplay with UVO programming. The advanced UVO Carplay system will be able to provide a much better phone connection as well as easier and safer accessibility to the driver.

With Carplay, Kia is making the driving experience much safer by enabling features such as hands-free devices. When you plug in your IPhone via the USB port, Carplay syncs all of the information from your phone right into UVOs infotainment system. Now the driver is able to access every aspect of his or hers phone while maintaining 100 percent focus on the road.

Currently, the all-new 2017 Kia Sorento is the first in its class to include the Carplay software and other members of the fleet will be announced at a later date. Any 2017 Sportage or 2016 Optima that are equipped with UVO3 or a navigation system will be offered Apple Carplay during the second quarter. If you have already purchased one of the 2016 Optimas or 2017 Sportages, Carplay will be available to download during the third quarter via myuvo.com.

Kia's Apple Carplay along with Jim Butler's Teen Driver Contract will make your kid the safest driver on the block. Take the pledge to protect your community.

The 2017 KIA Sorento Is Coming To Town

KIA’s best-selling CUV, the 2017 KIA Sorento, is entering its second model year, but has many added features. The Sorento now features new technology, including the Andriod Auto, Apple CarPlay, Advanced Touring Package and the Advanced Technology Package. The 2017 Sorento also offers new driver assistance features that the 2016 Sorento did not previously offer. These drive assistance features include Autonomous Emergency Braking, Dynamic Bending Lights, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Advanced Smart Cruise Control, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and much more.  

The 2017 Sorento has three different engine options, and all three are 6-speed automatic. The base model has a 2.4-liter I-4 engine with 185 horsepower/178lb. ft. torque. The second option is 2.0-liter turbo I-4 and 240 horsepower/260lb. ft. torque. Finally, the third engine has 3.3-liter V6 and 290 horsepower/252lb. ft. torque.

Jim Butler KIA cannot wait for the 2017 KIA Sorento to hit the lot later this year.

The 2016 KIA Optima Wins Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick Plus Award

The 2016 KIA Optima earned the most distinguished safety award from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Top Safety Pick Plus award has been revised and is more rigorous from the previous years. Each vehicle must earn “good” ratings in the five crashworthiness tests, “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention in order to qualify for the award, and have driver assistance technologies to aid in crash prevention.

The 2016 Optima features a wide range of safety features including:

• Rear-camera display
• 360-degree Surround-View Monitor (SX and SXL Trims Only)
• Advanced Smart Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Warning System
• Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Front Collison Warning System
• Lane Departure Warning
• Rear Parking Assist

The all-new Kia Optima has significantly improved because of its extensive use of Advanced High Strength Steel and with 51-percent of the body-in-white consisting of Advanced High Strength Steel that has improved by 39-percent. Furthermore, the Optima has more than a football field’s length of structural adhesives.

The all-new 2016 Kia Optima features an athletic identity but rides on a longer and wider chasis. It comes in three engine choices. The newest engine has a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that is mated to a seven-speed Dual Clutch Transmission. The all-new KIA is roomier and has a luxurious cabin that comes standard on five trims (LX, LX 1.6T, EX, SX, and SXL).