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.
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.
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.
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.
Here are the key findings as outlined in J.D. Power's press release.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Photo Credit: Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock.com.