South Korean carmakers Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors said Thursday they have garnered the three highest marks in J.D. Power’s annual automotive quality survey.

The companies said they expected the achievements to help boost sales in the United States as J.D. Power’s closely followed Initial Quality Study is widely accepted as a barometer of automotive quality. 

In the 2019 IQS report released Wednesday, Hyundai Motor, its independent brand Genesis and Kia Motors, long regarded as quality laggards, earned the top three spots in overall rankings.

Hyundai Motor Group, which has the three brands under its wing, boasted six individual segment winners -- the Genesis G70 sedan, Hyundai Santa Fe SUV, Kia Sedona (or Carnival) minivan, Kia Sportage SUV, Kia Forte compact and Kia Rio subcompact, the statement said.

Japanese brands such as Toyota Motor and its independent Lexus brand ranked eighth. Luxury German carmakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW earned marks above the industrial average this year, the rankings showed.

Hyundai and Kia have reported improving sales in the US market this year. Their sales rose 3.4 percent to 525,289 auto units in the January-May period from 507,988 a year earlier. (Yonhap)