Warranties for Hyundai and Kia have always been impressive

With fantastic warranties, but sketchy performance, Americans have displayed a love/hate relationship with Korean car manufacturers, Hyundai and Kia.

 ”The Japanese are starting to get worried about the Korean brands for the same reasons the domestics worried about the Japanese,” said Art Spinella, president of CNW Marketing Research. ”The Japanese are looking over their shoulders right now.”

A recent J.D. Power survey of 34,000 new-vehicle buyers this year concluded that fewer people feel compelled to ”buy American” and more accept Korean brands.

CNW says the median age of Hyundai buyers is 30 and for Kia it is 28, the youngest in the industry. The average age of Honda and Toyota buyers is 42 and the industry average is 45.

This year Hyundai actually beat Honda and Nissan in a customer survey, put out by JD Power.  The study measured problems within the first 90 days of purchase, ranking 11.  Kia ranked 29.

Consumer Reports chose the Hyundai Sonata as the most reliable vehicle of 2004.

See Also

• Korean Automakers Improve Quality
  Performance + Warranty = Smart Buy