Kia Stinger and Nissan LEAF Winners of Inaugural J.D. Power Engineering Awards at SAE International World Congress Experience
SAE International announces that the 2018 Kia Stinger and the 2018 Nissan LEAF are winners of the inaugural J.D. Power automotive engineering awards, presented last night at the WCX World Congress Experience in Detroit.
DETROIT, April 10, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SAE International announces that the 2018 Kia Stinger and the 2018 Nissan LEAF are winners of the inaugural J.D. Power automotive engineering awards, presented last night at the WCX World Congress Experience in Detroit.
The Kia Stinger won the J.D. Power Engineering Award for Highest-Rated All-New Vehicle. This award is presented to the engineering team responsible for the highest-rated new entry into the market for the 2018 Model Year. The award, based on consumer evaluations from the J.D. Power Initial Quality StudySM and the APEAL StudySM, is for the vehicle introduced for the 2018 Model Year that is furthest ahead of its direct competitors.
The Nissan LEAF won the J.D. Power Engineering Award for Highest-Rated Vehicle Redesign. This award is presented to the engineering team responsible for the highest-rated vehicle redesign for the 2018 Model Year. This award also is based on consumer evaluations from the Initial Quality StudySM and the APEAL StudySM, and is for the 2018 Model Year vehicle that is furthest ahead of its predecessor.
"These awards are based on feedback directly from customers who bought the vehicles," said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President of Global Automotive at J.D. Power. "That's something that should bring great pride to our award recipients. It's about understanding what customers are saying and why they're saying it, then trying to engineer a product that will really answers their needs."
The awards were presented during the SAE International Awards Ceremony, which honors professionals, educators and students who have demonstrated excellence and have significant achievements in virtually every aspect of the mobility industry including innovation and technology advancement.
The future of mobility is constantly in motion, and nowhere is the spirit of innovation and exploration more evident than at WCX World Congress Experience. Presented by SAE International, WCX propels the mobility industry forward through a convergence of engineering, research, design and technology. It's where the brightest minds in mobility meet for three days of interactive learning, expert insight, collaboration and inspiration.
For more information or to register for SAE International's WCX 2019, visit http://www.sae.org/wcx
Journalists and other members of the media seeking credentials should email pr (at) sae (dot) org or call 1-724-772-8522.
SAE International is a global association committed to advancing mobility knowledge and solutions for the benefit of humanity. By engaging nearly 200,000 engineers, technical experts and volunteers, we connect and educate mobility professionals to enable safe, clean, and accessible mobility solutions. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion® and the Collegiate Design Series™.
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.
Photo 1
[from left to right] Ryan Rumberger, Senior Manager, Autonomous Drive Performance Test, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Jonathon Ratliff, Senior Manager, Zero Emission Technology Development, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Yutaka Sekino, Director, Electrical, HVAC & Thermal Engineering, Associate Chief Vehicle Engineer, LEAF, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Doug Betts, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Automotive Operations, J.D. Power; Hiroki Isobe, Alliance Global Director, Chief Vehicle Engineer, LEAF, Nissan Motor Company, Ltd; Robert Blanchard, Director, Vehicle Program Management, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Tom Domlovil, Manager, Vehicle Program Management, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Sho Maruyama, Manager, Electric Powertrain Development, Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.; Nate Herbrandson, Senior Manager, EV Marketability and Performance Development, Nissan Technical Center North America; Toshimichi Gokan, Manager, Advanced Technology Development, Nissan Technical Center North America, Nissan North America, Inc.; Paul Mascarenas, 2019 SAE International President
Photo 2
[from left to right] Doug Betts, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Global Automotive Operations, J.D. Power; Julie Kurcz, Executive Director, Product Quality, Kia Motors America, Inc.; Paul Mascarenas, 2019 SAE International President
SOURCE SAE International
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