New-vehicle owners today are more passionate about their vehicle than ever, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study,SM released today. Overall satisfaction is 851 (on a 1,000-point scale), an increase of 4 index points from a year ago and the highest level since the study was last redesigned in 2020.
Scores in all 10 categories in the study improve compared with last year—an achievement for the industry that has not occurred in almost a decade. The gains are led by a 13-point improvement in satisfaction with fuel economy, followed by infotainment and interior, which each increase by 6 points.
“For three decades, the APEAL Study has tracked which new vehicles excite and delight owners the most,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Manufacturers have made significant advancements that continue to redefine the vehicle ownership experience and have become more adept at translating innovation into meaningful customer engagement. However, the study finds that owners of new models have lower levels of satisfaction with vehicle setup and startup—as well as infotainment systems—compared with owners of carryover models. This suggests that increasing technology and menu complexity remain persistent challenges for the industry.”
Now in its 30th year, the APEAL Study complements the annual J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality StudySM (IQS) and the J.D. Power U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) StudySM by measuring owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle. The APEAL Study asks owners to consider 37 attributes, ranging from the sense of comfort they feel when climbing into the driver's seat to their exhilaration when they step on the accelerator. Vehicle owners' responses to queries about these attributes are aggregated to compute an overall APEAL Index score.
Following are some key findings of the 2025 study:
Premium brands outpace mass market brands in emotional satisfaction gains, led by Tesla: While emotional satisfaction among owners of mass market brands improves 2 points, it rises 11 points among owners of premium vehicles, largely driven by Tesla. The brand has achieved a year-over-year improvement of 20 points or more across all categories in the study, with the exception of powertrain (+6 points), which has consistently remained its area of greatest strength.
Complicated technology derails owner satisfaction with new-model launches: Owners of carryover models express more emotional affinity for their vehicle than do owners of new-model launches (852 vs. 846, respectively) for a second consecutive year. Similarly, new models—which make up 14% of the industry this year—suffered from lower quality performance in this year’s J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study. Also, in this year’s APEAL Study, the largest satisfaction gaps for launch vehicles are in vehicle setup/startup (via the app) and infotainment—gaps that are especially pronounced in the premium segment, where carryover models score 48 points higher for setup/startup and 26 points higher for infotainment.
Satisfaction more consistent among ICE and hybrid owners: The study indicates that among new-vehicle owners, internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles deliver more consistent satisfaction, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) exhibit greater year-over-year fluctuations. Notably, satisfaction among owners of BEVs (860, excluding Tesla) drops 17 points from a year ago when comparing across fuel types, while PHEVs (855) improve 14 points.Customers indicate that PHEVs and hybrids hit the sweet spot for pleasing them with regard to fuel economy, range and charging speed.
Individual user profiles boost vehicle appeal: Just over half (55%) of vehicle owners are creating individual user profiles in their vehicle—features that allow personalization of settings such as seat position and climate control. The study reveals that premium vehicle owners are adopting this feature at twice the rate of mass market owners, and that when profiles are set up, owners across both segments cite increased emotional satisfaction.
Highest-Ranking Brands
Porsche ranks highest among premium brands for a second consecutive year, with a score of 890. Land Rover (886) ranks second and BMW (881) ranks third.
MINI ranks highest among mass market brands for a second consecutive year, with a score of 876. Dodge (868) ranks second and GMC (852) ranks third.
Model-Level APEAL Awards
The corporation receiving the most model-level awards (for models ranking highest in their respective segment) is BMW AG (five segment awards and highest-ranking model), followed by Hyundai Motor Group (four segment awards), and Ford Motor Company and Volkswagen AG, each with three segment awards.
The complete list of award recipients is:
BMW AG: BMW X6, BMW X1, BMW 4 Series, BMW X4 and MINI Countryman
Hyundai Motor Group: Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Kia K4 and Kia K5
Ford Motor Company: Ford Super Duty, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Nautilus
Volkswagen AG: Volkswagen ID.Buzz, Porsche Taycan and Porsche 911
General Motors Company: Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Hummer EV
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd: Nissan Rogue and Nissan Murano
Jaguar Land Rover Limited: Land Rover Range Rover
Toyota Motor Corporation: Lexus ES
Stellantis NV: Dodge Durango
BMW X6 is the highest-ranking individual model. Kia K5 receives a model-level award for a fifth consecutive year. BMW X4, MINI Countryman, Land Rover Range Rover and Porsche Taycan each receive model-level awards for a third consecutive year. Hyundai Sante Fe and Ford Super Duty each receive model-level awards for a second consecutive year.
The 2025 U.S. APEAL Study is based on responses from 92,964 owners of new 2025 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from June 2024 through May 2025 based on vehicles registered from March 2024 through February 2025.