Latest Vehicles Most ATTRACTIVE Since 2020, Reportedly with High User Satisfaction
MINI Tops Mass Market Brands in J.D. Power APEAL Study for Second Consecutive Year
The 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study has shown a record high in owner satisfaction, with strong performances from various brands and models.
For the second year in a row, MINI has been ranked as the highest among mass market brands, earning a score of 876. The study, conducted between June 2024 and May 2025, covered vehicles registered from March 2024 to February 2025 and was based on feedback from 92,964 owners of new model-year 2025 vehicles.
Among individual vehicle models, the BMW X6 took the top spot, with a score of 885, making it the highest overall vehicle satisfaction score and the top segment winner. BMW leads all manufacturers with five segment-level awards, including the BMW X6, X1, X4, 4 Series, and MINI Countryman.
The MINI Countryman also won its segment for the third consecutive year and was noted as the top-ranked mass-market brand. Other standout vehicles include the MINI Countryman, Land Rover Range Rover, Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Ford Super Duty.
Key highlights from the study include improvements in infotainment and interior quality, each up by six points. Owners of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and hybrids experienced more stable satisfaction levels year over year.
In the premium brand category, Porsche retained its spot as the highest-ranking brand, with a score of 890. BMW ranked third among premium brands, with a score of 881. Land Rover followed as the second highest-ranking premium brand, with a score of 886.
The study tracks the emotional connection owners feel with their vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership and evaluates various aspects like fuel economy, infotainment, and interior quality. Personalization features, such as individual driver profiles, are emerging as key drivers of emotional satisfaction.
New models are more likely to introduce complex interfaces and software bugs that can sour the early ownership experience. However, owners of carryover models report higher satisfaction than those with new launches, with an average score of 852 points compared to 846 for new models.
Tesla posted double-digit year-over-year gains across nearly all APEAL categories, with the exception of powertrain. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners still score high overall, but non-Tesla BEV owners' satisfaction dropped by 17 points, to a score of 860.
The Kia K5 won its segment for the fifth consecutive year, while Volkswagen's ID.Buzz and Porsche's Taycan were among the standout electric offerings to receive top marks. Among premium vehicles, carryover models scored 48 points higher for setup/startup and 26 points higher in infotainment than newly launched vehicles.
The APEAL Study assesses 37 attributes, delivering one of the industry's most comprehensive portraits of owner enthusiasm. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) posted a 14-point gain, reaching a score of 855. Scores improved in all ten categories tracked by the APEAL Study, with the largest improvement being a 13-point increase in fuel economy satisfaction.
Overall, the study demonstrates strong consumer satisfaction particularly with BMW and Porsche models and brands at the premium and mass-market levels, respectively, reflecting owner excitement and positive emotional engagement within the first 90 days of ownership.
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- Despite Tesla seeing double-digit year-over-year declines in some APEAL categories, electric-vehicles, like the Kia K5 and Porsche's Taycan, continue to receive top marks in the industry.
- In the finance sector, BMW, with a score of 881, ranked third among premium brands, while MINI, having earned a score of 876, tops mass-market brands for the second year in a row in the transportation industry.
- As the study indicates, owner satisfaction in lifestyle aspects such as infotainment, interior quality, and personalization features, like individual driver profiles, are significant factors contributing to the emotional connection vehicle owners feel during the first 90 days of ownership.
