JD Power APEAL Study Highlights Porsche and Hyundai

The annual JD Power APEAL study results are in. That’s right … the highly anticipated study done by the nation’s independent research company that measures new-vehicle appeal have been released. The acronym APEAL stands for Automotive Performance, Execution & Layout.

Now in its 19th year, the JD Power APEAL study data is collected from new-vehicle owners who evaluate their cars based on 77 specific attributes, ranging from fuel economy to the attractiveness of its interior materials. A perfect score would be 1,000 points … and overall this year’s crop of new vehicles averaged 794, a one-point decrease from last year. Breaking it down further, the average score for a premium car was 840, while non-premium average was 785. 

For the 10th consecutive year, Porsche is the top overall brand, while Hyundai took the top spot among non-luxury brands. (Porsche and Dodge led the way with top scores in three categories each.) On another positive note, new-car customers seem to be content with their fuel economy, as this year’s survey saw a six-point uptick from the previous year.

JD Power APEAL Results

So which vehicles won the JD Power APEAL study in their respective segments?

Compact Car – Dodge Dart

Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle – Kia Soul

Compact Premium Car – BMW 428i

Compact Premium SUV – Audi Q5

Compact Premium Sporty Car – Porsche Boxster

Compact SUV – Nissan Rogue

Compact Sporty Car – Volkswagen GTI

Large Car – Dodge Charger

Large Heavy Duty Pickup – Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty

Large Light Duty Pickup – Ford F-150

Large Premium Car – Audi A8

Large Premium SUV – Land Rover Range Rover

Large SUV – GMC Yukon

Midsize Car – Mazda6

Midsize Pickup – Honda Ridgeline

Midsize Premium Car – Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Midsize Premium SUV – Porsche Cayenne

Midsize Premium Sporty Car – Porsche 911

Midsize SUV – Toyota Highlander

Midsize Sporty Car – Dodge Challenger

Minivan – Nissan Quest

Small Car – Hyundai Accent

Small SUV – MINI Countryman