Critical Shifts:
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Quality Drives Satisfaction: Lower vehicle problem rates directly correlate with higher emotional satisfaction and excitement behind the wheel.
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Porsche & MINI Repeat Wins: Porsche topped premium brands (896/1,000) and MINI led mass-market brands (875/1,000) for the third consecutive year.
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BMW AG Leads Segments: BMW AG earned six segment awards—the most of any automaker—with the BMW X6 and BMW 7 Series tying as top individual models.
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Beyond Reliability: Complete customer advocacy requires intuitive technology, thoughtful interior design, and comfortable cabin spaces alongside reliability.
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New-vehicle owners are feeling more excitement behind the wheel as automakers deliver vehicles that are more satisfying to own and drive, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.
Results from this year’s APEAL Study closely align with findings from the JD Power 2026 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS): As problems experienced by new-vehicle owners decline, satisfaction with how vehicles look, feel and perform rises. Together, the studies show that the strongest owner advocacy comes from delivering on the total experience: quality, emotional appeal, sales and service.
“Automakers have made real progress in reducing problems, but JD Power data makes it clear that quality alone isn’t enough,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at JD Power. “Owners are most enthusiastic when their vehicle not only works reliably but also feels thoughtfully designed and offers comfortable interiors, useful storage and technology that’s easy to live with. The brands that get both sides of that equation right see the strongest advocacy from their customers.”
Highest-Ranking Brands
Porsche ranks highest among premium brands for a third consecutive year and is the only brand to rank above the segment average, with a score of 896.
MINI ranks highest among mass market brands for a third consecutive year, with a score of 875. Hyundai (858) ranks second and Kia (857) 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 (six segment awards and highest-ranking models), followed by Hyundai Motor Group (five segment awards), and General Motors Company (three segment awards).
The complete list of award recipients is:
- BMW AG: BMW X2, BMW X6, BMW 2 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 7 Series and MINI Countryman
- Hyundai Motor Group: Hyundai Palisade, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Kia Carnival, Kia K4 and Kia K5
- General Motors Company: Chevrolet Blazer, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade
- Ford Motor Company: Ford Super Duty and Ford Mustang
- JLR: Jaguar F-Pace and Land Rover Defender
- Nissan Motor Co., Ltd: Nissan Murano and Nissan Armada
- Toyota Motor Corporation: Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Crown Signia
- Mercedes-Benz Group AG: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
- Stellantis NV: Ram 1500
- Volkswagen AG: Porsche 911
- BMW X6 (for a second consecutive year) and BMW 7 Series are the highest-ranking individual models, in a tie.
Kia K5 receives a model-level award for a sixth consecutive year. MINI Countryman receives a model-level award for a fourth consecutive year. Ford Super Duty receives a model-level award for a third consecutive year. BMW X6, Ford Mustang, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Kia K4, Nissan Murano and Porsche 911 each receive model-level awards for a second consecutive year.
The 2026 U.S. APEAL Study is based on responses from 78,514 owners of new 2026 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from June 2025 through May 2026 based on vehicles registered from March 2025 through February 2026.
