The APEAL study looks at an owner's emotional attachment and excitement toward their new vehicles, among other things.
J.D. Power has released the findings of its 2023 US Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study. For the first time in the study's 28-year history, there's been a consecutive year-on-year decline in owner satisfaction.
The APEAL study measures an owner's emotional attachment and excitement toward their new vehicles. Participants (84,555 owners of MY2023 vehicles) were asked to consider at least 37 attributes, including driver comfort and the thrill of hitting the gas pedal. These attributes were categorized into 10 factors, each worth 100 points. The numbers you see here is a score out of 1,000. Fuel economy was the only factor that saw an uptick this year, and J.D. Power states that there was a decline in the remaining nine factors.
According to the study, the overall satisfaction rating sits at 845, representing a decrease of two points compared to 2022. It's also three points lower than the 2021's average. But before we get into the rest of the findings, let's first understand how the study works.
Before we get into the overall results, we must examine which brands scored the highest points in the study. Among the premium and luxury brands, Jaguar leads the field with a total score of 887. Sister brand Land Rover follows closely behind at 883 (tied with Porsche), while BMW takes fourth place at 878.
In the mass-market category, American brands lead the way. Dodge received the same score as Jaguar, at 887, while Ram (873) and GMC (858) ranked second and third, respectively.
Regarding top-ranking models, the Hyundai Motor Group dazzles its customers most, with nine awards. BMW received five awards, while Toyota received three. So what vehicle is, on average, the most satisfying to own? That would be the Porsche 911, which scored 914 points. The flagship Porsche is a repeat winner and also drove off with top honors last year.
But why are overall scores down? Are car manufacturers doing something wrong?
Yes and no. Owners of 2023 models are delighted with their vehicles' fuel economy. This category improved 15 points compared to 2022, bringing the score to 777. Owners of EVs are more satisfied with vehicle efficiency, with a total score of 797 for range/fuel economy, compared to their ICE-powered counterparts (758).
Overall EV satisfaction (840) still trails behind gas-powered vehicles and plug-in hybrids (843), but J.D. Power says the gap is closing. Interestingly, customer satisfaction with Tesla products has declined. However, with an overall score of 878, the American automaker is still one of the brands to beat.
Infotainment systems remain problematic for many owners. Just 56% of motorists surveyed use the built-in system to play audio, down from 70% three years ago. Most owners use their infotainment systems for the voice recognition function, navigation, and to make phone calls.
“The decline in consecutive years might look small, but it's an indicator that larger issues may lie under the surface. Despite the technology and design innovations that manufacturers put into new vehicles, owners are lukewarm about them,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.
Hanley remarked that features such as wireless charging and vehicle apps should improve the ownership experience but notes this is not the case when these features prove problematic. “This downward trajectory of satisfaction should be a warning sign to manufacturers that they need to better understand what owners really want in their new vehicles,” he concluded.
Interestingly, owners can't get enough of Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) with Google Automotive Services (GAS); models with this feature scored higher in the infotainment category than vehicles without the feature.
Keyword: Porsche 911 Is Officially The Most Satisfying Car To Own