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J.D. Power APEAL Survey Results Are In:  Scores Are Down

Written By: CarPro | Jul 26, 2023 5:52:17 PM

The new J.D. Power Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study results are in, and they are no doubt disappointing for automakers.  Overall, new vehicle satisfaction is down in these areas, and for a second year in a row.  According to researchers, it's first consecutive year decline in the study's 28 year history.

2023 J.D. Power APEAL Study


The APEAL study measures owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle.  Owners are asked to consider 37 attributes, ranging how comfortable they feel when they sit in the driver's seat to how the feel when they step on the accelerator.

This year, overall satisfaction came in at 845 (on a 1,000-point scale), which is down 2 points from a year ago and 3 points lower than in 2021.

“The decline in consecutive years might look small, but it’s an indicator that larger issues may lie under the surface,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power.

“Despite the technology and design innovations that manufacturers put into new vehicles, owners are lukewarm about them. While innovations like charging pads, vehicle apps and advanced audio features should enhance an owner’s experience, this is not the case when problems are experienced. 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.”

The APEAL study is based on 10 factors. Researchers say nine of them have declined year-over-year.  The only one to improve is fuel economy (771) - which is 15 points higher than in 2022.

Exterior Design

The factor with the biggest decline in satisfaction year-over-year is the exterior It dropped from 894 last year to 888 this year. New model design doesn't seem to be exciting many drivers either, with satisfaction with exterior styling on new models in 2023 is particularly unremarkable, scoring only 3 points above carryover models.

Infotainment

J.D. Power researchers also say the study shows that built-in infotainment systems are resonating with today's buyers. Only 56% of owners prefer to use their vehicle’s built-in system to play audio, down from 70% in 2020.  Three of the most common uses for built-in systems are: owners looking to make phone calls; voice recognition; and navigation—with less than half (45%, 37% and 43%, respectively) of owners preferring to use their vehicle’s built-in system for these functions.

Other Key Findings

Here are the key findings as outlined in J.D. Power's press release.

  • Both premium and mass market segments decrease in overall satisfaction: Year over year, satisfaction declines 4 points among mass market brands and 1 point among premium brands. The gap in satisfaction between the two segments widens to 34 points this year.
  • Android Automotive Operating System (AAOS) with GAS delights owners: Models that have AAOS with Google Automotive Services (GAS) score higher in the infotainment category than those with no AAOS whatsoever. AAOS without GAS receives the lowest scores for infotainment of the three categories.  
  • Satisfaction with fuel economy better among BEVs than gas-powered vehicles: For a second consecutive year, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) outperform internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle counterparts in fuel economy, the only factor showing improvement in this year’s study. Even with gas prices declining, the large gap in satisfaction continues between ICE vehicles (758) and BEVs (797) for fuel economy/range scores.
  • Electrified vehicles close APEAL gap with gas vehicles: The overall APEAL Index score for gasoline-powered vehicles is 843, tied with plug-in hybrids. In comparison, BEVs (excluding Tesla) increased 2 points year over year to 840 and have closed the gap in satisfaction with gas-powered vehicles to 3 points. Tesla vehicles are summarized separately due to their high weight in the BEV segment. It is notable that certain attributes of Tesla models continue to outperform other BEVs, though there are challengers emerging from traditional manufacturers, including five BEV models that receive segment awards.
  • Satisfaction with Tesla declines: Tesla, with a score of 878, remains one of the higher performing brands in the industry. However, the score in 2023 is 9 points lower than a year ago when Tesla was first included in the study. Satisfaction scores for Tesla have declined year over year in all 10 factors. Because Tesla does not allow J.D. Power access to owner information in the states where that permission is required by law, Tesla models remain ineligible for awards.

Highest-Ranking Brands

Premium

Jaguar ranks highest among premium brands with a score of 887. Land Rover (883) and Porsche (883) rank second in a tie, while BMW (878) ranks fourth.

Mass Market

Dodge ranks highest among mass market brands for a fourth consecutive year, with a score of 887. Ram (873) ranks second and GMC (858) ranks third.

Model-Level Awards

Hyundai sets a record for the most model-level awards for models that rank the highest in their segment.  it received nine model year awards.   BMW received five awards and Toyota three.

The complete list of award recipients is:

The Porsche 911 is the highest-ranking individual model (914). Kia sets a record for most brand awards in a single year with seven. The Kia K5 receives a model-level award for a third consecutive year.

About the Study

The 2023 U.S. APEAL Study is based on responses from 84,555 owners of new 2023 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from February through May 2023, based on vehicles registered from November 2022 through February 2023.

For more information about the U.S. APEAL Study click here.

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