South Korean Car Brands Surpass Japanese Marques in US Customer Satisfaction Survey

According to J.D. Power’s “J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study,” a customer satisfaction survey on advanced automobile functions conducted in the United States, three South Korean brands, Hyundai, Kia and Genesis of the Hyundai Motor Group, ranked high in the Overall Innovation Ranking, all three entering the top 10. Genesis seized first place while Hyundai and Kia ranked 4th and 8th respectively. In this ranking, premium brands and mass-market brands were ranked as one category, and while premium brands with more advanced safety functions than mass-market brands naturally occupied the top positions, Hyundai and Kia, both mass-market brands, penetrated the top 10. On the other hand, two premium Japanese brands, Infiniti and Lexus, fell short of Hyundai and Kia, taking 9th and 10th places respectively.

J.D. Power’s TXI Study, focuses on users two to 13 months after purchasing a new car, inquiring about experience, usage evaluation and future intentions among other topics. Based on this information, the overall innovation index is calculated and ranked by evaluating how quickly and effectively each brand introduced advanced functions and equipment to the market.

The United States boasts the largest market size among developed countries and is a market where high-end models sell well. Regardless of whether they are premium brands or mass-market brands, the US market has been a good source of revenue for all manufacturers. Because it is a market where profit margins are easy to obtain, it appears that manufacturers are positive about installing advanced functions in models. In such an environment, the three brands of the Hyundai Motor Group, especially Hyundai and Kia, received higher evaluations than many premium brands.