Category: United States

Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Increases in 2019, JD Power Finds

2019-06-25

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 26 June 2019 — Overall customer satisfaction is up among electric utility residential customers in 2019, with the top utilities focusing their efforts on improving reliability and on communicating their ongoing community involvement efforts, according to the JD Power 2019 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.^SM

“Utility customers want their power to stay on and to see their utility involved in their local communities and the top performers do an excellent job of both,” said John Hazen, Senior Director of the Energy Practice at JD Power. “Many of the lower performing brands need to do a better job of communicating their community involvement efforts such as employee volunteering and local donations/sponsorships. This communication has shown to affect consumer awareness and satisfaction.”

Study Results

• Cooperatives Segment: GreyStone Power
• East Large Segment: PPL Electric Utilities
• East Midsize Segment: Delmarva Power
• Midwest Large Segment: MidAmerican Energy
• Midwest Midsize Segment: Kentucky Utilities
• South Large Segment: Georgia Power
• South Midsize Segment: EPB
• West Large Segment: SRP
• West Midsize Segment: Clark Public Utilities

The 2019 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 103,481 online interviews conducted from July 2018 through May 2019 among residential customers of the 142 largest electric utility brands across the United States, which represent more than 101 million households.

For more information about the Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/electric-utility-residential-customer-satisfaction-study.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: http://www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

Feature Overload Strains Customer Satisfaction with Online Banking and Mobile Apps, JD Power Finds

2019-06-26

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 27 June 2019 — With approximately 84% of retail bank customers saying they’ve had at least one digital interaction with their banks in the past three months¹ and 71% of credit card customers interacting with their provider’s digital offerings², online and mobile apps have become a critical component to overall customer experience. However, according to four studies of bank and credit card online and mobile app users, released today, JD Power finds that customer satisfaction levels with these digital channels have been strained by a surplus of new features that have made them more complex and difficult to use.

The studies—JD Power 2019 U.S. Banking Mobile App Satisfaction Study^SM, 2019 U.S. Online Banking Satisfaction Study^SM, 2019 U.S. Credit Card Mobile App Satisfaction Study^SM and 2019 U.S. Online Credit Card Satisfaction Study—track overall customer satisfaction with banking and credit card providers’ digital offerings.

“Leading U.S. banks now have more than half of their customers interacting with them in a digitally centric manner,” said Bob Neuhaus, Vice President of Financial Services Intelligence at JD Power. “The trend is most pronounced among the largest national banks, such as Bank of America, which now counts 54% of its customers as digitally centric, meaning they do the bulk of their banking without setting foot in a branch. As the number of banking and credit card customers interacting with their providers’ digital channels continues to grow, these digital experiences will become an increasingly fundamental part of the overall brand. It is critical that banks and credit cards get the formula right, delivering the resources customers need while also designing apps to be user-friendly.

“Regional and mid-size banks are increasingly vulnerable to digital competition from large banks,” Neuhaus added. “Where large banks have half or more of their customers being digitally centric, regional and mid-size banks have a third or less of their customer base relying primarily on digital channels. This gives large banks both a cost advantage through reduced branch traffic and a growing satisfaction advantage as customers engage with expanding digital functionality.”

Following are some key findings of the 2019 studies:

• Bank mobile app satisfaction declines as complex features stump consumers: The overall customer satisfaction score for retail banking mobile apps is 853 (on a 1,000-point scale), down 15 points from 2018. Overall satisfaction for online banking also is 853. In both cases, customers were challenged in completely understanding all features. Complete customer understanding of the mobile app is associated with a 130-point improvement in overall satisfaction for banking apps and a 122-point improvement for online banking.

• Simplicity of credit card apps is appealing to consumers: The overall customer satisfaction score for credit card mobile apps is 872, down 3 points from last year. Online credit card satisfaction is 863. In both cases, customers report strong levels of understanding of features and offer high marks for mobile app appearance. The higher overall satisfaction scores for credit card mobile apps are attributable to a more tailored visual user experience that limits content to pertinent information and key functionality.

• Familiarity breeds loyalty: Banking mobile apps have the highest percentage of customers accessing the app 12 or more times a month. Higher usage of 8 or more times a month on either online or mobile platform substantially increases overall satisfaction. Overall, 69% of bank mobile app users say their banks mobile app is either a “somewhat important” or “very important” channel in preventing them from switching to a different bank.

• Personalization, curation of content become next frontier for digital channels: The bulk of spending and design activity in the banking and credit card online and mobile app space has been focused on creating rich feature sets and improving usability. As the technologies evolve, the focus needs to shift to personalization, creating a curated user experience that delivers both convenience and streamlined usability. 

Study Rankings

Huntington ranks highest in overall satisfaction for U.S. banking mobile apps, with a score of 875. Capital One (873) ranks second and Citibank (870) ranks third.

Huntington also ranks highest in overall satisfaction for U.S. online banking, with a score of 880. Regions Bank (874) ranks second and TD Bank (872) ranks third.

Discover ranks highest in overall satisfaction for U.S. credit card mobile apps, with a score of 890. American Express (889) ranks second. Bank of America (879) ranks third.

Discover also ranks highest in overall satisfaction for U.S. online credit card, with a score of 885. American Express (873) ranks second and Capital One (872) ranks third.

The 2019 U.S. Banking App Satisfaction, U.S. Online Banking Satisfaction, U.S. Credit Card App Satisfaction and U.S. Online Credit Card Satisfaction studies measure overall satisfaction with mobile banking and credit card applications based on five factors: ease of navigation; appearance; clarity of information; range of services; and availability of key information. The studies are based on responses from 17,424 retail bank and credit card customers nationwide. The studies were fielded in March-April 2019.

To learn more about these studies, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-banking-and-us-credit-card-mobile-app-satisfaction-studies.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

¹JD Power 2019 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study
²JD Power 2019 Credit Card Satisfaction Study

First Half of 2019 to Deliver Lowest Retail Sales Since 2013; Transaction Prices, Dealer Profitability Rise to Record Levels

2019-06-26

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The Retail Sales Forecast

New-vehicle retail sales in June are expected to fall from a year ago, according to a forecast developed jointly by JD Power and LMC Automotive. Retail sales are projected to reach 1,149,900 units, a 2.9% decrease compared with June 2018. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for retail sales is expected to be 13.3 million units, down 500,000 from a year ago.

New-vehicle retail sales through the first half of 2019 are projected to reach 6,477,400 units, a 3.3% decrease from 2018.

The Total Sales Forecast

Total sales in June are projected to reach 1,471,900 units, a 1.5% decrease compared with June 2018. The seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) for total sales is expected to be 16.8 million units, down 500,000 from a year ago.

New-vehicle total sales through the first half of 2019 are projected to reach 8,396,500 units, a 1.8% decrease from 2018.

The Takeaway

Thomas King, Senior Vice President of the Data and Analytics Division at JD Power:

“While the first half of 2019 is expected to deliver its weakest retail sales since 2013, the growth in prices has been nothing short of remarkable. Average transaction prices set a record during the first half, which has big implications for manufacturer revenues.”

New-vehicle prices are on pace to reach $33,346—the highest ever for the first half of the year—and are up nearly 4% (+$1,158) from last year.

—–

Reduced sales volumes coupled with higher overall prices, means that consumers are anticipated to spend $216 billion on new vehicles through the first half, down just 0.4% from last year. Incentive discipline to start the year has continued through the second quarter. Spending to-date through the first half has fallen to $3,788 per unit, $130 less than the same period a year ago. Spending on cars is down $304 to $3,588, while spending on trucks/SUVs is down $65 to $3,871.

—–

“The decline in new sales have been disappointing, but it’s important not to overlook the effect of growth in the used-vehicle market,” King said. “Used sales at franchised dealers are expected to increase by nearly 9% through the first half. Most significant for retailers is the greater profit opportunity due to higher front-end gross and F&I income earned compared with new vehicles. Overall combined new and used retailer profits through the first half are on pace to reach $23.4 billion, up 3.7% from last year. Shifting away from the traditional focus on volumes, 2019 remains on target to be one of the best years recorded.”

Sales & SAAR Comparison

JD Power and LMC Automotive U.S. Sales and SAAR Comparisons

¹Figures cited for June 2019 are forecasted based on the first 19 selling days of the month.
²June 2019 has 26 selling days, one day less than June 2018.

The Details

• The average new-vehicle retail transaction price to date in June is $33,665. The previous high for the month of June—$32,074—was set last year.
   
• Average incentive spending per unit to date in June is $3,782, down from $3,880 last year.
   
• Consumers are on pace to spend $38.6 billion on new vehicles in June, down $800 million from last year’s level.
• Truck/SUVs account for 71.1% of new-vehicle retail sales through June 23, the highest level ever for the month of June.
   
• Days to turn, the average number of days a new vehicle sits on a dealer lot before being sold to a retail customer, is 75 days through June 23. This is up 6 days from last year.
   
• Fleet sales are expected to total 322,000 units, up 3.9% from June 2018. Fleet volume is expected to account for 22% of total light-vehicle sales, up from 21% last year.

Outlook for the Year

Jeff Schuster, President, Americas Operations and Global Vehicle Forecasts, LMC Automotive:

“Auto sales are nearing the halfway point for 2019 and despite all of the external noise, the beat goes on! A much more dovish Fed is under pressure and is now expected to make a series of interest rate cuts. This will provide support for auto sales in the second half of the year and help offset rising vehicle prices and the current level of incentives. Trucks overall are expected to remain strong on further SUV growth, but the pickup war is heating up. We expect pickup share to reach 17.8% in 2019, a percentage point increase from 2018.”

LMC’s forecast for 2019 total light-vehicle sales is holding at 16.9 million units, a decline of 2.1% from 2018. The retail light-vehicle sales forecast is also stable with volume at 13.5 million units, a decline of 3.1% from 2018.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler; JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
Emmie Littlejohn; LMC Automotive; Troy, Mich.; 248-817-2100; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info
About LMC Automotive www.lmc-auto.com

From Store to Home, Appliance Retailers Must Be Consistent with Customer Service, JD Power Finds

2019-07-09

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 10 July 2019 — From the moment the shopping experience begins on the store floor, appliance retailers must make a great impression with shoppers, starting with the sales staff interaction and following through to home delivery and installation, according to the JD Power 2019 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study.^SM

“Sales staff and service, and home delivery and installation are the most impactful factors on customer satisfaction for appliance retailers,” said Christina Cooley, Director of the At-Home Practice at JD Power. “If retailers can remain consistent from start to the final finish of installation, they will have the most satisfied customers and a leg up in such a competitive market.”

Study Results

Best Buy ranks highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 864, followed by Lowe’s (857).

The 2019 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 2,028 customers who purchased appliances from a major appliance retailer in the last 12 months. The study was fielded in January 2019.

For more information about the Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-appliance-retailer-satisfaction-study.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

Satisfaction Gap Between Large and Small Business Wireline Customers Increases, JD Power Finds

2019-07-10

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 11 July 2019 — For the third straight year, the satisfaction gap between large enterprise and very small business wireline customers has increased, according to the JD Power 2019 U.S. Business Wireline Satisfaction Study^SM, released today.

“Very small business customers who have had issues with their business lines view their provider as less trustworthy and reliable, but if you look at the large enterprise segment, that is not the case,” said Ian Greenblatt, Managing Director at JD Power. “Smaller business customers may be less profitable, but if wireline companies can address the opportunities in very small business customer service, they will see an increase in satisfaction and, ultimately, retention.”

Study Results

For the large enterprise segment, AT&T ranks highest with a score of 844. Verizon (833) ranks second and CenturyLink (806) ranks third.

For the small/medium business segment, Verizon ranks highest with a score of 813. AT&T (812) ranks second and Cox (789) ranks third.

For the very small business segment, Verizon ranks highest with a score of 762. Cox (756) ranks second and Comcast (739) ranks third.

The 2019 U.S. Business Wireline is based on responses from 3,424 business customers of data and voice services in the United States. The study evaluates business wireline experiences across 6 different factors: performance and reliability, cost of service, communications, sales representatives and account executives, billing, and customer service. The study was fielded from April-May 2019.

For more information about the U.S. Business Wireline Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-business-wireline-satisfaction-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2019107.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: http://www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

JD Power 2019 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study Cross-Device—Summer

2019-07-15

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 18 July 2019 — The JD Power 2019 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study Cross-Device^SM—Summer is a semiannual study that measures the usefulness of automotive manufacturer websites during the process of shopping for a new vehicle by examining four key measures (in order of importance): information/content; appearance; navigation; and speed.

This year’s study finds that overall satisfaction averages 828 (on a 1,000-point scale) for the luxury segment, while the mass market segment averages 822. Acura and Alfa Romeo rank highest in a tie among luxury brands with a score of 839, while MINI (838) ranks highest among mass market brands.

The Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study Cross-Device, initially released in 1999, is based on responses from 13,792 new-vehicle shoppers who indicate they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months. The study was fielded in May 2019.

For more information about the Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study Cross-Device^SM, visit http://www.jdpower.com/resource/us-manufacturer-website-evaluation-study-cross-device.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Wireless Network Quality Improves Nationwide as Carriers Invest in 5G Future, JD Power Finds

2019-07-15

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 18 July 2019 — The number of reported problems with wireless network quality—such as dropped calls, slow app performance and call quality issues—has decreased on a year-over-year basis for every major wireless carrier in the nation. According to the JD Power 2019 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study^SM—Volume 2, released today, some of the largest improvements in quality have occurred in the area of data speed and connectivity.

“Wireless carriers are making significant investments in their infrastructure as they get ready to start the broader rollout of 5G networks,” said Ian Greenblatt, Managing Director of Technology, Media & Telecommunications Intelligence at JD Power. “Those continued investments are paying off in clear-cut quality improvement across all aspects of the wireless user experience, from phone calls to streaming media to app use, and it’s happening on a nationwide basis with every brand in our study.”

Study Results

Verizon Wireless ranks highest in all six regions covered in the study and achieves the lowest network quality problems per 100 connections (PP100) in call quality, messaging quality and data quality in each region. U.S. Cellular ranks highest in a tie with Verizon in the North Central region.

The 2019 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study—Volume 2 is based on responses from 33,401 wireless customers. Carrier performance is examined in six regions: Mid-Atlantic, North Central, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest and West. In addition to evaluating the network quality experienced by customers with wireless phones, the study also measures the network performance of tablets and mobile broadband devices. The study was fielded from January through July 2019.

For more information about the U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/jd-power-wireless-network-quality-performance-study.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

New JD Power Study Recognizes Key Element to Automotive Sales Success: Brand Loyalty

2019-07-16

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 16 July 2019 — Brand loyalty is a key objective of automakers not only because it leads to a customer repurchasing or leasing another vehicle from the same manufacturer but because that customer is more likely to recommend the brand to friends and family members shopping for a new vehicle. To acknowledge this key component of the automotive lifecycle, JD Power today announced the results of the inaugural JD Power 2019 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study,^SM with Lexus (luxury) and Subaru (mass market) ranking highest in their respective segments.

“Customer loyalty is perhaps the most important metric for manufacturers because it incorporates many factors that lead customers to become brand ambassadors,” said Tyson Jominy, Vice President of Data & Analytics at JD Power. “When a brand can connect emotionally with owners through the vehicle’s content, capabilities or prestige level, owners are much more likely to come back and purchase that same brand again.”

Subaru ranks highest among mass market brands—and highest overall—with a loyalty rate of 61.5%.

Lexus ranks highest among luxury brands with a 47.6% loyalty rate.

Using data from the Power Information Network, the study calculates whether an owner purchased the same brand after trading in an existing vehicle on a new vehicle purchase or lease. Customer loyalty is based on the percentage of vehicle owners who choose the same brand when trading in or purchasing their next vehicle. The 2019 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study calculations are based on transaction data from June 2018 through May 2019 and include all model years traded in.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
Shane Smith; East Coast; 424 903-3665; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

Quality of Sleep is Significant Opportunity for North American Hotels, JD Power Finds

2019-07-23

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 24 July 2019 — Forget the minibar, sleek lobby and mints on the pillow. If hotels really want to build loyalty and delight their customers with stand-out lodging experiences, they need to focus on the bed. According to the JD Power 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study,^SM released today, quality of sleep is one of the most important components of a hotel guest experience with the potential to drive overall satisfaction and brand loyalty, but the majority of hotels are not delivering better-than-expected sleeping conditions.

“Delivering a superior sleep experience—from the quality of the bed, linens and pillows to the ambient sound and temperature of the room—is a huge opportunity for hotels to differentiate themselves from the pack and earn significant goodwill with guests,” said Jennifer Corwin, Senior Manager of Consumer Insights for Travel & Hospitality Intelligence at JD Power. “Of all the discrete variables of the hotel guest experience we measure, a better-than-expected night’s sleep is the one with the potential to drive the highest levels of overall guest satisfaction for those hotels that can deliver.”

Now in its 23rd year, the North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study was redesigned this year to incorporate much deeper guest profiling information and extended coverage of the full hotel customer journey, including the path to purchase, pre-stay communications and post-stay communications. The study also now includes property-level information throughout North America, updated food and beverage metrics and inclusion of vacation rental utilization metrics.

Following are some key findings of the 2019 study:

• More zzzs, please: Overall satisfaction scores increase 114 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when hotel guests experience a better-than-expected quality of sleep. However, just 29% of hotel guests had such an experience. Of guests who do experience better-than-expected quality of sleep, 78% say they “definitely will” return to that property and 71% say they “definitely will” return to that brand.

• The anatomy of a good night’s sleep: The top contributors to quality of sleep and, therefore, higher satisfaction scores, are comfort of bed; quietness of room; comfort/quality of pillows; room temperature; and comfort/quality of linens. Satisfaction scores for quality of sleep are also higher when hotels offer beyond-the-basics items, such as white noise/sound machines, earplugs, robe/slippers and authentic local decor.

• Quality of sleep directly correlated to price of room: The highest rate of better-than-expected sleep quality is in the luxury hotel segment (42%), followed by the upper upscale (33%), upscale (31%), upper midscale (28%), midscale (28%) and economy (23%) segments.

• Arrival and check-in experiences present opportunity to shine: The key elements of the check-in experience consistent with high hotel guest satisfaction scores are efficiency (ideally takes five minutes or less); accuracy; and offering a warm welcome. When any of those baseline criteria are not met, satisfaction scores tumble as much as 100 points.

Study Rankings

The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:

Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (for a fifth consecutive year)
Upper Upscale: Hard Rock Hotel
Upscale: Best Western Premier
Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (for a 14th consecutive year)
Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (for a fifth consecutive year)
Economy: Microtel by Wyndham (for a second consecutive year)

The 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions regarding their overall experiences and includes 85 officially ranked brands in six market segments. This year’s study is based on responses from approximately 44,890 guests who stayed at a hotel between June 2018 and May 2019.

For more information about the 2019 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/resource/jd-power-north-america-hotel-guest-satisfaction-index-study.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; St. James, N.Y.; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

Appeal of New Vehicles Improves for Fifth Consecutive Year, JD Power Finds

2019-07-23

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COSTA MESA, Calif.: 24 July 2019 —Improvements in infotainment systems and increased availability of advanced driver assistance systems are making customers increasingly satisfied with their new vehicles, according to the JD Power 2019 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study,^SM released today.

The industry average satisfaction index score increases to 823 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 820 in 2018, with 22 of the 32 brands included in the study improving from last year.

“Every automaker is producing vehicles that consumers like, but some of them are doing it at a higher level than others,” said Dave Sargent, Vice President of Global Automotive at JD Power. “Satisfaction with new technology is improving, but infotainment remains an area where automakers can get better. Owners have higher satisfaction if their vehicle is equipped with safety features such as blind spot monitor, collision avoidance and lane departure warning. This should serve as a positive sign for manufacturers, as these features are some of the early building blocks for fully automated vehicles.”

Following are key findings of the 2019 study:

• Scores in all 10 categories improve in 2019: The study examines 10 vehicle categories, all of which have improved in appeal from 2018. Categories showing the most improvement are infotainment (+10 points) and visibility and safety (+6).
• Gap between luxury and mass market brands narrows: The average APEAL score for luxury brands is 853 points, compared with 818 for mass market brands. This gap of 35 points is the narrowest in the study’s history and is down from 50 points just three years ago.
• Satisfaction gap between cars and SUVs shrinking: The slowdown in industry improvement for 2019 vs. 2018 is primarily caused by a lack of overall improvement in cars, whereas SUVs improve by 7 points. Cars continue to outperform SUVs for fuel economy and engine/transmission, largely because cars are lighter than SUVs. However, SUVs gain the advantage in most other areas, including driving dynamics; storage and space; visibility and safety; and seats. “Fuel economy will always be an important consideration for shoppers, but they are increasingly wowed by the capability of modern SUVs,” Sargent said.

Highest-Ranked Brands

In general, larger and more expensive vehicles achieve higher APEAL scores than smaller and less expensive vehicles. A brand’s ranking, therefore, is a function of the types of vehicles the manufacturer produces and how well it executes on those vehicles.

Porsche ranks highest in overall APEAL with a score of 891. BMW and Genesis rank second in a tie with 868, followed by Audi (867) and Volvo (863).

Ram ranks highest in the mass market segment with a score of 851. Dodge (848)ranks second, followed by MINI (835), Volkswagen (829) and Ford (828).

Ram is the most-improved brand, increasing 26 points from 2018. Other brands showing significant improvement are Dodge (+24); Jaguar (+16); Land Rover (+15); Audi (+14); and Jeep (+14).

Segment-Level Model APEAL Awards

The parent company receiving the most model-level awards for its various brands is Ford Motor Co. (five model-level awards), followed by BMW AG with four.

• Ford Motor Co.: Ford Expedition; Ford F-150; Ford Ranger; Ford Super Duty; and Lincoln Navigator
• BMW AG: BMW 2 Series; BMW X4; MINI Cooper; and MINI Countryman
• General Motors Company: Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Terrain
• Honda Motor Company: Honda Accord and Honda Odyssey
• Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.: Nissan Altima and Nissan Maxima
• Toyota Motor Corporation: Toyota Camry and Toyota Yaris
• Volkswagen AG: Audi A7 and Porsche Cayenne
• Daimler AG: Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: Dodge Challenger
• Hyundai Motor Group: Kia Forte

The Audi A7 is the highest-scoring model in the study overall. Receiving a model-level award for a third straight year are Ford F-150 and Porsche Cayenne. Ford Expedition, Honda Accord, MINI Countryman and Nissan Maxima each receive a model-level award for a second consecutive year.

The 2019 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study measures owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 77 attributes, ranging from the power they feel when they step on the gas to the sense of comfort and luxury they feel when climbing into the driver’s seat. These attributes are combined into an overall APEAL index score measured on a 1,000-point scale. The study, now in its 24^th year, is based on responses gathered from February 2019 through May 2019 from nearly 68,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2019 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study, which complements the annual JD Power Initial Quality Study,^SM is used extensively by manufacturers worldwide to help them design and develop more appealing vehicles and by consumers to help them in their purchase decisions.

For more information about the 2019 U.S. APEAL Study, visit http://www.jdpower.com/resource/jd-power-automotive-performance-execution-and-layout-apeal-study.

JD Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. These capabilities enable JD Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, JD Power has offices serving North America, South America, Asia Pacific and Europe.

Media Relations Contacts
Geno Effler, JD Power; Costa Mesa, Calif.; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
Shane Smith; East Coast; 424-903-3665; [email protected]

About JD Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-inf