In an Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study in 2023, Kia America set a record for the most total awards ever earned by a brand in a single year, with seven Kia models ranking first in their segments—the most awarded to a single manufacturer in the APEAL Study’s 28-year history. These honors come on the heels of Kia receiving the most accolades in the 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which was revealed last month.
- Kia garnered more APEAL Awards in a single year than any other brand in the 28-year history of the U.S. APEAL Study.
- Best-in-Class awards were given to the 2023 EV6, Telluride, Forte, Carnival, Stinger, K5, and Rio.
- In a single year, Kia received more accolades in the 2023 U.S. APEAL and 2023 U.S. Initial Quality Studies than any other brand in the industry.
Three Kia vehicles won top honors in their sectors for the second year in a row, including the all-electric Kia EV6 (Most Appealing Compact SUV), Carnival (Most Appealing Minivan), and K5 (Most Appealing Midsize Car). Furthermore, four Kia vehicles were voted first in their segments: the Telluride (Most Appealing Upper Midsize SUV), the Forte (Most Appealing Compact Car), the Rio (Most Appealing Small Car), and the Stinger (Most Appealing Midsize Premium Car). In the 2023 APEAL Study, all seven cars were acknowledged as the most desirable for driver experience and placed first for driver satisfaction.
“As the most awarded brand across both the 2023 APEAL and IQS Studies, Kia has demonstrated our leadership position not only in the automotive industry but also within the electrification sector,” stated Steven Center, COO EVP, Kia America. “Our world-class vehicles provide the quality, dependability, and technology that consumers seek, and the 2023 U.S. APEAL Study demonstrates our ongoing commitment to offering the right mix of features and attributes across multiple model lines.”
The 2023 U.S. APEAL Study is based on responses from 84,555 new 2023 model-year car owners who were polled after 90 days of ownership. The research was conducted from February to May 2023, using automobiles registered between November 2022 and February 2023.
