New-vehicle owners report greater passion for their cars than ever, according to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The industry-wide satisfaction score climbed four points to 851 on a 1,000-point scale, the highest level recorded since 2020. All ten measured categories rose year-over-year for the first time in almost a decade, with the greatest gains in fuel economy (+13 points), infotainment (+6) and interior design (+6).
Premium brands saw an 11-point jump in owner excitement, double the mass market’s two-point increase. Tesla drove much of that rise, improving by more than 20 points in almost every category except powertrain. Among luxury marques, Porsche led with 890 points, followed by Land Rover (886) and BMW (881). In the mass segment, MINI topped the rankings at 876, with Dodge (868) and GMC (852) close behind.
Owners of carryover models expressed higher APEAL satisfaction (852) than buyers of newly launched vehicles (846). The biggest gaps appeared in vehicle setup and startup via apps, plus infotainment performance, especially in the premium sector, where carryover models outscored new launches by 48 and 26 points respectively.
Electric car satisfaction showed more volatility. BEV owners (860 points, excluding Tesla) fell 17 points, while PHEV owners (855) gained 14 points. Internal combustion and non-pluggable hybrids delivered the most consistent results.
Personalization also boosted appeal. Fifty-five percent of drivers set up individual user profiles, twice the rate among premium owners, and reported higher emotional satisfaction.
BMW AG led all automakers with five segment awards, including the BMW X6 as the top-ranked model. Hyundai followed with four awards, and Ford and Volkswagen each earned three. The study surveyed 92,964 owners of 2025-model vehicles after 90 days of ownership; responses were collected between June 2024 and May 2025.
