Despite all the twists and turns that 2025 has thrown at the auto industry, it appears that those who have made a new car purchase are overwhelmingly happy with that decision.
Customer satisfaction with new vehicles has reached a historic high according to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The overall satisfaction score is 851 out of a possible 1,000 points, a four-point increase from last year and the highest amount since the study’s redesign in 2020. All 10 categories measured by the study posted gains for the first time in nearly a decade.
It’s a pretty hefty sample size too. The 2025 APEAL Study gathered feedback from nearly 93,000 owners of 2025 model-year vehicles within their first 90 days of ownership. It polled owners from June 2024 through May 2025 based on vehicles registered from March 2024 through February 2025.
A Record-Breaking Year
The study reflected improvements across all major areas of vehicle performance and design, including fuel economy, infotainment systems, and interior quality. Among these, satisfaction with fuel economy posted the highest year-over-year increase, climbing 13 points. Infotainment systems and interior performance followed with six-point gains.
“For three decades, the APEAL Study has tracked which new vehicles excite and delight owners the most,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Manufacturers have made significant advancements that continue to redefine the vehicle ownership experience and have become more adept at translating innovation into meaningful customer engagement.”
Despite the improvements, there are always some challenges that remain. The score was, of course, not a perfect 1,000 out of 1,000. New-model launches underperformed compared to carryover models, scoring six points lower on average. Specific areas of dissatisfaction included vehicle setup and the complexity of app-based systems, which remained significant hurdles, particularly for premium brand owners.
“However, the study finds that owners of new models have lower levels of satisfaction with vehicle setup and startup—as well as infotainment systems—compared with owners of carryover models,” said Hanley. “This suggests that increasing technology and menu complexity remain persistent challenges for the industry.”
Top-Ranking Automotive Brands
Luxury automaker Porsche retained its top position among premium brands for the second year in a row, with a score of 890. Land Rover and BMW (881) followed closely behind with scores of 886 and 881 respectively. Overall premium vehicle satisfaction improved at a larger rate than mass market vehicles as premium saw an 11-point increase compared to just two points for mass market.
Still, plenty of brands had strong overall customer satisfaction. Among mass market brands, MINI also led the rankings for the second consecutive year with a score of 876. Dodge ranked second at 868, and GMC followed in third place at 852.
Tesla surprisingly emerged as a standout performer with significant year-over-year improvements of 20 points or more in almost every category. The brand has become a driving force in the premium segment, with the powertrain category consistently being its strongest.
At an individual model level, the highest-ranking vehicle was the BMW X6 with BMW also taking home five segment awards for models that rank the highest in their respective segment. Hyundai had four segment awards with the Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Santa Cruz leading the way. Ford and Volkswagen then tied for third with three segment awards. VW saw a strong showing from the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Porsche Taycan while Ford’s heavy hitters were the Ford Super Duty, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Nautilus.
Mixed Results for Electric Vehicles
While Tesla may have seen a bump in satisfaction, the same can’t be said about other EVs. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), excluding those made by Tesla, experienced a 17-point drop in satisfaction compared to the previous year. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), on the other hand, posted a 14-point improvement as owners praised their blend of fuel economy, range, and charging speed.
Hybrid vehicles and even internal combustion engine vehicles overall exhibited higher consistency in satisfaction, underscoring that these categories continue to meet customer expectations more reliably than BEVs. Until the charging infrastructure is widely available to make the friction of EV adoption go away, hybrids will continue to be an appealing offer. Especially for customers looking to improve their emissions without sacrificing distance or ease of use.
Personalization Boosts Emotional Attachment
One notable trend in the 2025 study is the growing impact of personalized settings on owner satisfaction. Features such as user profiles, which adjust settings like seat position and climate control based on individual preferences, increased emotional engagement, particularly among premium vehicle owners. Just over half (55%) of vehicle owners reported using this functionality, with adoption rates twice as high among premium brand customers compared to mass market buyers.
Personalization is quickly becoming a key differentiator for brands as they seek to create a deeper connection with their customers. If a customer can feel like their car adapts to them and is uniquely theirs, it’s easier to build emotional satisfaction.
Persistent Challenges with Technology
Consumer car technology has come a long way in the last ten years and while that’s a good thing, not everyone is ready to welcome our high-tech future vehicles. Many advancements have resonated with vehicle owners, but complex technology continues to be a stumbling block, especially in new-model launches. New models only made up 14 percent of the study but they consistently saw low scores, especially when it came to the technology baked into the car.
Significant gaps were identified in two key areas for new vehicles: vehicle setup and startup, particularly through app-based systems, and infotainment functionality. These issues were magnified in the premium segment, where new models scored 48 points lower on setup/startup and 26 points lower on infotainment compared to carryover vehicles.
Automakers are delivering vehicles that excite customers in new ways while pushing the boundaries of innovation. However, the industry must ensure these advancements are simple and intuitive to maintain customer satisfaction in the years ahead.
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