Hyundai Finishes as the Second-Highest Non-Premium Brand in J.D. Power's 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS)

- Two Years in a Row Hyundai Ranks as the Second-Highest Non-Premium Brand

- Retains Third Overall Position Among All Brands

- Hyundai Owners Report Three Fewer Problems per 100 Vehicles than in 2018

- Santa Fe Is the Top-Ranked Midsize SUV in Initial Quality

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Jun 19, 2019, 15:25 ET

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- New-vehicle quality across the entire Hyundai lineup resulted in the company being ranked as the second-highest non-premium brand in J.D. Power's 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS)^SM for the second consecutive year. Hyundai owners reported three fewer problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) than in 2018 as Hyundai also maintained its third overall ranking with a significant 12 PP100 fewer than the fourth place brand.

Barry Ratzlaff (right), vice president, Customer Satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America and Omar Rivera (middle), director, Quality and Service Engineering, Hyundai Motor America accept the trophy from Robert Mansfield, senior director, Global Automotive at J.D. Power for Hyundai Santa Fe’s win as the top ranked midsize SUV in J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. Initial Quality Study.

In the model segments, the all-new Hyundai Santa Fe received the midsize SUV award and was one of only three vehicles to win one of the 21 segments in its launch year. Hyundai's entire lineup performed well with Tucson, Elantra, Accent and Veloster all finishing second in their respective segments, while Kona and Sonata each were third.

As a brand, Hyundai ranked first in two of the eight categories with the fewest reported ACEN (Audio, Communication, Entertainment, and Navigation) and seat problems. J.D. Power also classifies problems as either design or defect/malfunction and Hyundai finished with the lowest number of design related problems among non-premium brands.

"Hyundai owners and new car shoppers can have peace of mind in knowing that our new vehicle quality continues to be among the best in the industry," said Barry Ratzlaff, vice president, Customer Satisfaction, Hyundai Motor America. "Our performance in the highly respected IQS study and our overall commitment to quality are a testament to the entire company's dedication, including design, engineering, manufacturing, service, field teams and our dealer partners, to deliver the highest quality vehicles to our customers. We are proud to maintain our quality leadership and will not relent in our pursuit to constantly improve the quality of our vehicles."

Hyundai's strong showing in J.D. Power's IQS follows its fifth place non-premium ranking in J.D. Power's 2019 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), demonstrating its quality leadership over time. Santa Fe was also ranked highest in its class in the J.D. Power 2019 VDS.

J.D. Power measures initial quality by the number of problems owners experience per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership, with a lower score reflecting higher quality. Hyundai had 71 PP100, outpacing the industry average of 93 PP100.

In its 33^rd year, the 2019 U.S. IQS is based on responses from 76,256 purchasers and lessees of new 2019 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study is based on a 233-question battery organized into eight vehicle categories designed to provide manufacturers with information to facilitate the identification of problems and drive product improvement. The study was fielded from February through May 2019 with rankable data compiled on 32 brands, 191 models and 142 assembly lines. For more information on the 2019 U.S. IQS, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2019-initial-quality-study-iqs.

Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience grounded in design leadership, engineering excellence and exceptional value in every vehicle we sell. Hyundai's technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assurance—our promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide and the majority sold in the U.S. are built at U.S. manufacturing facilities, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea.

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