American drivers are falling out of love with the latest car designs and tech, study finds

Original Article:

Source: Link

“The decline in consecutive years might look small, but it’s an indicator that larger issues may lie under the surface.” That’s how Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, introduces the results of the research giant’s latest study of how Americans are responding to automakers’ latest vehicle designs and performance. J.D. Power’s U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study measures “owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle.” Researchers poll new car owners on “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.” For the first time in the study’s 28-year history, overall scores have declined two years in a row. Americans are growing less enamored of new cars. Overall satisfaction scored a middling B grade – 845 on a 1,000-point scale. Plus: The deadliest—and least deadly—cars, trucks and SUVs Infotainment system complexity Complex entertainment and information technologies continue to frustrate buyers, the study finds. Less than half of owners prefer to use their car’s own built-in technologies to navigate, use voice recognition, and make calls. Most preferred to use their phone in the car (are you listening, GM? GM ). Only 56% of owners use their car’s own systems to play music – falling quickly from 70% in 2020. But, in a new development, buyers are growing less fond of how new cars look. Satisfaction with exterior design fell further than any other factor measured — 888 from 894. Check out: 18 new EVs to watch for in 2024 No difference between best luxury, non-luxury scores The winners among luxury cars and mainstream cars tied. Among premium buyers, Jaguar owners were the most in love with their new cars. But new Dodge owners rated their cars just as well. Acura scored last among luxury brands. Chrysler took the last spot among mainstream cars. Perhaps more surprisingly, Toyota TM – the world’s largest automaker – barely stayed out of last place. Genesis, Hyundai, Kia win more matchups Having a particularly large lineup gives an automaker more chances to succeed and to fail. Hyundai Motor Group (Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia KR:000270 ) didn’t place any of its brands in the top three of either list. But the company had more models ranking highest in their segments than any other. The Genesis GV60, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Kia Carnival, Kia EV6, Kia Forte, Kia K5, Kia Rio, Kia Stinger, and Kia Telluride all led their categories. No other manufacturer won in more than five. Plus: The 2023 Kia Sorento Hybrid offers great fuel economy with plenty of safety features and lively performance Luxury automaker scores Brand Score (on a 1,000-point scale) Jaguar 887 Land Rover 883 Porsche POAHY 883 BMW XE:BMW 878 Genesis 877 Mercedes-Benz 876 Lincoln 873 Segment Average 871 Cadillac 865 Lexus 864 Alfa Romeo 859 Volvo VLVLY 856 Audi 855 Infiniti 854 Acura 853 Tesla TSLA and Polestar PSNY are not ranked because they do not allow J.D. Power to access owner information where permission is required by law. Based on the limited data available from states that don’t require company authorization, J.D. Power says, Tesla would have scored 878, and Polestar 865. Also read: What do car dealers have to be worried about? Plenty, survey says. Mainstream automaker scores Brand Score (on a 1,000-point scale) Dodge 887 Ram 873 GMC 858 Mini 856 Kia 851 Chevrolet 846 Hyundai 844 Nissan NSANY 843 Buick 841 Ford F 838 Segment Average 837 Honda HMC 835 Jeep 831 Mitsubishi MSBHF 831 Mazda MZDAY 828 Volkswagen VWAGY 827 Subaru FUJHY 824 Toyota 824 Chrysler 810 This story originally ran on KBB.com.