• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The CarGurus Blog

Daily coverage of the world of cars.

  • Cars for Sale
  • Car News
  • Tech + Cars
  • Industry Insights
  • Research
  • Video

Kia Soul

Are There Any Bad Cars Left? Kia tops J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

Last updated: Sep 27, 2019 at 4:22PM
Published on: Jun 28, 2016 by Matt Smith

2017 Kia Sportage EX EX

If there’s one piece of advice I find myself sanctimoniously preaching to prospective car shoppers, it’s this: There’s no such thing as a bad car anymore.

Long, long ago, in the early 1990s, Kia Motors expanded to the United States, bringing with it little economical runabouts like the Sephia sedan and the Sportage crossover. There was just one problem: These cars weren’t exactly what we’d describe as “good.” Sub-100-hp engines, crude transmissions, and interiors featuring more plastics than Mean Girls. The little Sephia couldn’t even deliver great fuel economy, barely eking out 27 mpg highway with its automatic transmission. A ‘94 Ford Escort could manage 5 mpg better with nearly identical power specs.

But oh, how times have changed. Despite a poor first impression, Kia has emerged as a shining example of the fact that there really are no more “bad” cars. Every year, J.D. Power conducts its Initial Quality Study, wherein car owners are surveyed to determine which vehicles deliver the best experience within the first 90 days. By placing first on J.D. Power’s 2016 U.S. Initial Quality Study, Kia earned the honor of being the first non-premium brand in 27 years to take home Gold.

Continue reading >>>

Filed Under: Car News Tagged With: 2016 Initial Quality, Chevrolet, Ford Escort, hyundai, J.D. Power, Kia, Kia Soul, Porsche, Sephia, Sportage, Toyota

10 Best SUVs for Less Than $15,000

Last updated: Sep 19, 2019 at 3:28PM
Published on: Apr 15, 2016 by John Harrington

2009 Subaru Forester

CarGurus spent two days previewing the 2016 New York International Auto Show, and if one trend stood out more than others, it was America’s apparent obsession with crossovers and SUVs. This could be due to low fuel prices, or perhaps it’s more a consequence of our country’s longstanding enthusiasm for adventure and frontiers. Whatever the reason, from the introduction of the Maserati Levante and the over-the-top Lincoln Navigator concept to Mitsubishi’s last-ditch effort with the Outlander PHEV, this message was clear: automakers are hitching their wagons to crossovers and SUVs.

Since the public apparently has a hankering for high-riding, do-anything transportation, we decided to find the best used crossover vehicles using CarGurus’ user-submitted reviews. To keep things interesting, we set a price limit of $15,000, but eliminated any cars more than 15 years old or with an average of more than 100,000 miles. If you want to submit your own ranking reviews on CarGurus, we’d love to hear what you have to say!

Continue reading >>>

Filed Under: Car Lists, Car Shopping Tagged With: best used SUVs, Chevrolet Equinox, Dodge Nitro, ford edge, Ford Escape, jeep patriot, Kia Sorento, Kia Soul, nissan juke, nissan rogue, subaru forester, used SUVs

Primary Sidebar

Cars for Sale

Screenshot of CarGurus.com homepage showing search functionality, menus, and imagery.

Footer

Copyright © 2005 – 2021 CarGurus, Inc. All Rights Reserved

CarGurus, 121 First Street, Cambridge, MA 02141

Read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

 

Copyright © 2023 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in