Kia Motors’ K7 and General Motors’ Impala have been named ideal brands by a U.S. consumer research company.

AutoPacific, an automotive research and consulting firm, said Monday that Kia’s Cadenza -- the K7’s name in the U.S. market -- and the Chevrolet Impala were tied in the 2015 Most Ideal Popular Brand awards’ large car category.

“The award is designed to see which brands meet their owner’s expectations and desires, helping consumers make informed vehicle purchase decisions with ‘owners talking’ feedback,” the company stated.

The selection was based on responses from over 66,000 new vehicle owners who had used their cars for more than 90 days. The drivers were asked what changes they would make to their car or truck in 15 key categories, including ride and handling, driver’s seat comfort, interior storage, safety features, interior lighting, power and acceleration, and technology.

“The introduction of the Cadenza was a response to customer demand for a Kia product that was larger and even more luxurious than the SXL trims of our Sorento CUV and Optima midsize sedans, and as our first step into the premium segments, it helped continue the transformation of the Kia brand, paving the way for our luxury flagship sedan, the K900,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president at product planning for Kia Motors America.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)