According to the J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, consumers are more impressed with the latest crop of new cars and trucks than ever before. The overall APEAL index figure rose from 801 to 810 on a 1,000-point scale–a jump that equals the largest year-over-year gain in its 22-year history. According to Power, that bump reflects better scores in nine of its 10 evaluation categories as well as greater buyer satisfaction with 19 of the 32 individual brands surveyed. The firm also notes that enhanced desirability runs across the entire automotive spectrum.
“Many automakers are getting better and better at giving consumers what they want in a vehicle,” said Dave Sargent, vice president, global automotive at J.D. Power. “The industry is doing a very good job of creating vehicles customers like across every segment, and the APEAL study identifies why this is. One clear reason is that non-premium vehicles are increasingly offering technology and safety features found in premium vehicles.”
Porsche remains at the top
For the 13th consecutive year, Porsche topped the overall marque ratings, earning an impressive 884 APEAL score. It was followed by newcomer Genesis (869) and then BMW (855), Audi (854) and Mercedes-Benz (851). Four other makes recorded particularly notable gains from 2016: Chrysler (815) stands out as the most improved brand boosting its APEAL score by 41. Next in line were Mini (+30), Nissan (+27) and Honda (+25), all netting APEAL stats that exceeded the 2017 industry average of 810.
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Volkswagen Group was the automaker with the greatest number of individual vehicle segment winners. These included the Audi A3, Audi A4, Audi A7, Porsche 911, Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Macan. BMW was second in that arena, on the strength of the BMW 2 Series BMW X1, Mini Clubman and Mini Cooper. Ford, GM and Hyundai each claimed three individual segment champs.
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Measuring owners’ “emotional attachment and level of excitement across 77 attributes,” the 2017 J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study gathered input from nearly 70,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2017 model-year vehicles surveyed after 90 days of ownership. Click here for more complete information and additional details on the results.
