(January 13, 2011) DETROIT /PRNewswire/ — Kia Motors America (KMA) was honored by Polk as the "most improved" automotive brand in customer loyalty in 2010 during the 15th Annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards ceremony held at the Automotive News World Congress during the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

KMA's "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" honor comes shortly after the company announced all-time record full-year sales in 2010 as well as its 16th consecutive year of market share growth in the U.S.

"With our ongoing design-led transformation delivering a stable of exciting new and recently introduced products, the industry's best warranty, and a firm commitment to improvements in product quality and customer service, Kia Motors continues to build a brand that is attracting new consumers daily, and we remain focused on owner satisfaction and keeping existing owners in the Kia family," said Tom Loveless, vice president, sales, KMA.

Now in its second year, the "Most Improved Loyalty to Make" award honors the automaker that showed the largest percentage point improvement in customer loyalty over one model year. In 2010, KMA posted an unprecedented 5.9 percentage point increase in loyalty, the most of any automaker during the same period, finishing the year at an impressive loyalty rate of 49.8 percent. 

"Cultivating and maintaining a loyal customer base is difficult, yet imperative to sustain growth in a very competitive automotive market," said Stephen Polk, chairman, president and CEO of R.L. Polk & Co.  "This award highlights the tremendous strides Kia has made over the past several years in customer retention, product design, and quality.  Kia provides an excellent example of how a deliberate approach to customer loyalty can pay tremendous dividends for a brand."