Five vehicle models produced by South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its smaller affiliate Kia Motors Corp. have been named best cars by U.S. consumers, the automakers said Thursday.

In a survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates, a U.S. marketing information service firm, the Hyundai Tucson was named the best small SUV, beating the Volkswagen Tiguan and all other competitors in the segment, according to Hyundai.

The survey was conducted on those who purchased a new car between November 2015 and February of this year.

The Hyundai Tucson scored the highest mark of 804 points out of a possible 1,000, its manufacturer said in a press release. Hyundai and Kia together make up the world's fifth-largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Group.

The Kia K5 was named the best midsize passenger car with 822 points, surpassing all its rivals that include the Nissan Altima and the Honda Accord, while the Kia Sorento scored the highest points among midsize SUVs sold in the U.S.

The Kia Carnival, globally sold as the Kia Sedona, was named the best minivan sold in the U.S., taking the top position for a second consecutive year.

Kia's best-selling model, the Kia Soul multipurpose vehicle was ranked the top of its respective segment.

Meanwhile, in terms of brand image, Kia vehicles were ranked the third highest, moving up four notches from 7th place in 2015, while Hyundai cars were ranked in ninth place, down from the second-highest spot a year earlier. (Yonhap)