Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's No. 2 automaker, has been named as the popular brand with the highest satisfaction in the U.S., according to an automotive research company Friday.

Kia, affiliated with South Korea's largest automaker Hyundai Motor Co., was recognized as the most satisfying popular brand by U.S.-based AutoPacific Inc.  

This year's awards were given based on a survey of 65,000 owners of new vehicles, where respondents evaluated their cars across 50 categories including safety features, power and acceleration, and other factors.

It marks the first time that a South Korean auto company has been picked by AutoPacific as the most satisfying popular brand since 2009 when its sister company, Hyundai Motor, took the top spot. (Yonhap)