The research firm’s 2024 APEAL study – which measures new-car buyers’ attachment to their purchases – also saw satisfaction with EVs climb
- When it comes to new-car buyer excitement, Porsche owners feel it the most, says J.D. Power
- Hyundai and Kia owners find themselves pretty well satisfied as well, as do Mini buyers
- Buyers of EVs are happier than ever with their cars, but many customers generally complain about infotainment
“Traditional manufacturers have listened to the voice of the customer. They’re launching enhanced vehicles that are more in line with what customers want,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “For BEVs [battery-electric vehicles], recent launches from traditional manufacturers have surpassed perennial leader Tesla when it comes to owners’ level of emotional attachment and excitement with their new vehicle.”
In fact, across all energy types, this survey says its respondents indicated emotional satisfaction is highest among owners of non-Tesla BEVs (877), surpassing Tesla (870) and owners of gasoline (842) vehicles. (Scores are out of a thousand, if you’re wondering.) Interestingly, loyal Tesla owners had much better things to say about their cars than conquest buyers, lending even more credence to the notion that some Tesla owners have cult-like blinders on when it comes to rational evaluation of the brand.
One area which continues to stick in the craw of many vehicle owners is infotainment. The study says satisfaction with this component has improved, yet it remains one of the lowest-scoring categories. Overall satisfaction with in-vehicle infotainment systems averaged a score of 805, but the specific platforms of Android Auto (832) or Apple CarPlay (840) fared better. This is likely due to customers finding an ease of familiarity with an interface which largely mirrors the device with which they are already comfortable. General Motors, take note.
Next year will be the 30th annum for this study, a report which asks owners to consider 37 attributes across 10 factors of their new vehicle. These range from the sense of comfort they feel when climbing into the driver’s seat; to the exhilaration induced when they step on the accelerator pedal. Responses to these queries are then aggregated to compute an overall APEAL score.
This year’s study polled almost 100,000 owners of 2024 vehicles after 90 days of ownership.
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