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Korean Models Dominate 2024 J.D. Power APEAL Awards
Meanwhile, Porsche and Mini brands lead the way for company-wide scores of premium and mass-market carmakers.
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The J.D. Power APEAL Award.Genesis Motors
At a Glance
- The Hyundai Group has seven category-winning models.
- BMW AG had four model segment winners.
- Toyota Motor Corp.'s cars won three categories
J.D. Power's Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study has named this year’s list of the cars whose owners enjoy them the most, with Porsche and Mini leading the way.
The J.D. Power APEAL Study measures owners' emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle. It 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. The 2024 U.S. APEAL Study is based on responses from 99,144 owners of new 2024 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.
Measured on J.D. Power’s 1,000-point scale, overall owner satisfaction is 847 this year. That represents a slight 2-point rise over 2023. Unsurprisingly, dissatisfaction with infotainment systems is a drag on scores. While infotainment ratings rose 5 points, the score is still 823, which makes it one of the lowest-scoring categories among those evaluated.
“Traditional manufacturers have listened to the Voice of the Customer,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “They’re launching enhanced vehicles that are more in line with what customers want, including improved interior storage and higher quality materials, as well as ensuring features have ease of use. For [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.”
The top brands for premium manufacturers were Porsche, with a company-wide rating of 891, Jaguar (886), and Land Rover (882). Among mainstream brands, the leaders were Mini, at 858, followed by Ram (854) and Kia (853).
For individual model winners in various categories, the Hyundai Motor Group led the way with seven winners, followed by BMW AG, which had four segment winners, and Toyota Motor Corporation, with three. These corporate parent groups include all of the associated brands.
Click through our slideshow for a look at the top models in each category.
J.D. POWER 2024 U.S. APEAL STUDY
About the Author
Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.
A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.
Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.
Dan, testing the 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish. ANDY MORGAN/ASTON MARTIN
He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.
He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.
He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.
He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.
Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.
He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.
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