Kia Rio in J.D. Power’s top 30 environmentally friendly vehicles

Kia’s commitment to the environment and its constant desire to improve the efficiency of its models has paid dividends with two of its cars amongst J.D. Power’s (US) top-30 environmentally friendly vehicles.

And the Kia brand is now ranked in the top-five of the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Alternative Powertrain Study’s environmentally friendly manufacturers’ index (US).

This report lists the US top 30 Automotive Environmental Index (AEI) of new vehicles, in which their Rio and Spectra, Cerato (UK) models both feature.

For this report, JDPA developed a special automotive environmental measure that combines ‘technical/scientific’ information regarding the ‘environmental friendliness’ of new vehicles with consumer perceptions across the same criteria. This information is then used by the automotive industry to provide a comprehensive measure of performance.

The report shows that although the environmental interest of prospective new car consumers is increasing, sales of such new vehicles still remain very low. Also, that many hybrid vehicles only provide consumers with similar environmental performances as their conventional equivalents; i.e. that ‘technical/scientific’ information does not match ‘real world’ driving considerations. Most US

Environmental Protection Agency estimates of fuel economy are 2.5 percent higher on average than actual owner reported gas mileage. This report clearly shows that Kia Motors really have their finger on the button when it comes to consumer opinion and behaviour.

And, as Byung-Kwang Jang, President of Kia motors (UK) Ltd, says: “At Kia we believe that the best way to serve our customers is to focus on what the wants and needs of the new car buying public are today; this being better fuel economy in all of our conventionally powered vehicles.

“As consumers increasingly consider ‘going green’, Kia is focused on playing a major part in bringing value-based, alternatively-powered vehicles with improved fuel economy, to the mass-market; this can only be done, however, when there is a significant desire for these vehicles by the UK car buying public.”