Kia tops reliability survey
Words: AutoTrader NZ | Photos: Small Passenger
The survey, carried out by respected magazine Which Car, has shown the Kia Picanto as the most reliable car in Britain – and Kia says that may well be the case in New Zealand, too
Achieving an impressive reliability score of 98.1%, the Kia Picanto beat off rivals from Japanese and European brands to take the win.
Which Car focuses on both new and used cars, and publishes an annual reliability survey based on the result of reports gathered from thousands of real-life owners.
The Kia Picanto topped the list for reliability amongst cars up to three years old, and was one of the top five in the four-to-eight years old category as well.
Peter Vicary-Smith, Chief Executive, Which?, says: “Some small cars, particularly Korean and Japanese superminis, run like clockwork whereas some bigger cars, which you might expect to be more robust, aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.”
Todd McDonald, General Manager of Kia Motors New Zealand, says the reliability of all Kia models is one of the reasons they carry a five-year/100,000km Warranty Programme in New Zealand, when most others are only covered for three years.
“Customers expect their cars to be reliable, not just in the few months after being purchased new, but well into the future and the 5-year/100,000 warranty programme is one way to demonstrate that reliability,” says McDonald.
“So when I heard that the Picanto had been voted the most reliable car in Britain, it certainly didn’t come as any surprise – you could ask that question of Picanto owners in New Zealand and get the same verdict.”
The Kia Picanto is sold in two models in New Zealand, both of which are powered by an economical 1.1-litre petrol engine.
The Picanto automatic sells from $16,990 and comes complete with air conditioning, power windows and central locking, along with the safety of ESP stability control as standard. The sportier Picanto Sport, priced from $19,990, has a five-speed manual gearshift and a more upmarket specification package.
See the Kia Picanto for sale here.
