COSTA MESA, Calif. -

The Ford brand maintained its perch atop NADAguides.com’s list of most-researched brands during the first quarter, but Korean brands stole the show and some of the Big 3’s share, as they continue to close the gap on their rivals.

According to the first-quarter Brand Share Report, Ford is still the industry’s most popular brand, notching 17 percent of all research done via NADAguides.com.

Second on the list was Chevrolet (close to 12 percent), followed by Toyota (more than 10 percent).

Honda came in fourth and Nissan was fifth. However, these two brands were less than 1 percent ahead of Hyundai, which combined with Kia, commanded 11 percent of the research on the site.

Interest in each of the Korean brands was up 2 percent sequentially and this upswing reflects robust first quarters for both brands.

Hyundai Motor America, for instance, reported its strongest first quarter of all time, as total sales, which came in at 142,620 units, jumped 28 percent year-over-year, and retail sales moved ahead 46 percent.

Meanwhile, Kia had its best quarter ever, notching sales of 104,774 vehicles, up about 37 percent year-over-year.

“With the auto industry and consumer car shopping seeing the level of adversity we have in recent months, it has been interesting to say the least to see how consumers are reacting and deciding to shop for new cars,” said Troy Snyder, who is director of product development at NADAguides.

“Korean brand interest has risen, which may be a signal that their overall continuous brand messaging, reliability, unparalleled warranty and incentive offerings are taking a foothold,” he emphasized. “The Korean brands are earning and taking their piece of the pie from many of the domestics.”

NADAguides points to Hyundai’s incentives and the new 40 miles-per-gallon Elantra as pivotal in Hyundai’s consumer interest gains.

Furthermore, the re-launched Kia Sorento generated the third-highest level of research on NADAguides.com during the first quarter, pushing the automaker to a 2-percent quarter-over-quarter gain in consumer research.

“Kia Motors’ design-led transformation has delivered seven stylish, fuel efficient and fun-to-drive new products that have significantly increased awareness, perception and consideration of the Kia brand and led to unprecedented growth and momentum for the company in the U.S.,” noted Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing and communications for Kia Motors America:

“As evidenced by the latest NADAguides Brand Share Report data, more and more consumers are turning to Kia for head-turning, technology-laden vehicles that offer outstanding fuel economy at a tremendous value, and our diverse lineup will continue to surprise and impress consumers who turn to Kia while shopping for a new vehicle,” he added.

Domestics Slip, but Ford Enjoys Top Status

Overall, Big 3 brands commanded 45 percent of the research share on the site during the first quarter, with Japanese brands next at 30 percent.

Despite holding a significant lead, consumer research in Big 3 brands fell about 4 percent quarter-over-quarter.

The declines were seen practically across the board for domestics, the exception being the Ford brand.

Its interest grew almost a percent, and it is expected to continue increasing amid Ford’s three new vehicles that boast fuel economies of at least 40 mpg.

Such was the latest in a string of good news for Ford Motor Co. as a whole this week.

On Tuesday, the nation’s second-biggest automaker announced its best first-quarter profits in 13 years, just one day after NADAguides revealed that the F-150, Mustang and Explorer all earned spots in the top five list of consumer interest leaders.

In the Consumer Market Interest report revealed Monday, NADAguides said the F-150 took the top overall spot, although its overall lead fell by 4.19 percent.

NADAguides said Ford led consumer market interest.

“We are very proud of the F150, the new Explorer and the iconic Mustang, so it is very rewarding for us to see these vehicles researched to such a high level by car buyers. This is yet another great achievement for our customers and for the Ford brand in North America,” stated Jim Farley, group vice president of global marketing, sales and service.

“We believe this is recognition of the momentum we have built with our range of fuel efficient, technologically advanced new products that customers want to learn about and own,” he added. “It is products like these that will continue to differentiate Ford Motor Co. as a leader.”

Snyder lauded the versatility of the F-150, but also stressed the gains made by crossovers and sedans in the market.

“Consumers shopping for new cars have more choices than ever before when it comes to economy, practicality, functionality, comfort and fuel efficiency,” Snyder shared. “The versatility of the F-150 keeps it at the top of consumers’ interest for obvious reasons, but crossovers and sedans are demanding more attention than ever with luxury-grade features, safety and more of what consumers are seeking for everyday life without the fear of needing to downgrade just to get what they truly want.

“It is a great time to be in the market for a new car,” he concluded.