J.D. Power and Associates 2012 "APEAL" STUDY (Updated, post#44)
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA USA
Higher Vehicle Appeal May Allow for Lower Dealer Incentives
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Honda
captures four model segment awards -- more than any other vehicle nameplate
this year -- according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Automotive
Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study(SM) released today.
The study, now in its 12th year, measures owner delight with the
design, content, layout and performance of their new vehicles. APEAL is
designed to complement the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality
Study(SM) (IQS), which focuses on problems experienced by owners during the
first 90 days of ownership. APEAL measures how gratifying a new vehicle is
to own and drive.
Honda's four segment-leading models are the Fit (in a tie), CR-V,
Ridgeline and Odyssey. BMW and Mercedes-Benz receive three segment awards,
while Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen each garner two awards. BMW models
receiving awards include the 3 Series, 6 Series and X5, while Mercedes-Benz
earns awards for the E-Class, S-Class and GL-Class. Ford models earning
awards are the Mustang and Edge. Volkswagen receives awards for the Jetta
and GTI, while Nissan earns awards for the Altima Sedan and Armada.
The study also finds that, for models with higher APEAL scores, vehicle
manufacturers and dealers can offer lower incentives to new-vehicle buyers.
On average, owners of vehicles with APEAL scores lower than 800, based on a
1,000-point scale, report receiving dealer incentives of approximately
$2,000. For purchasers of models with average APEAL scores higher than 800,
the incentive amount can decline by up to 10 percent.
"Vehicle models with strong customer appeal tend to be in higher
demand, which diminishes the need for dealers to incentivize to boost
sales," said Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D.
Power and Associates. "Offering larger incentives decreases the
profitability of vehicles, so it's important for manufacturers to
incorporate those 'must-have' features and design elements that will entice
buyers, which also reduces the need for large customer cash rebates."
A number of all-new and redesigned models lead the model rankings for
2007. Ten of the top-ranking models in the APEAL study -- the BMW X5,
Cadillac Escalade EXT (in a tie), Ford Edge, GMC Sierra LD, Honda Fit,
Honda CR-V, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (in a tie), Mercedes-Benz S-Class,
Nissan Altima Sedan and Toyota Yaris (in a tie) -- were all-new or
redesigned this year. Also receiving awards are the Hyundai Azera and
Porsche Cayman.
"Whether due to fresh designs or innovative features, APEAL scores tend
to be highest for models when they are first introduced," said Oddes. "It's
essential for manufacturers to get new-vehicle launches right, since
vehicles with high appeal scores generally command a higher gross profit
and sell more quickly. Two of the redesigned models -- the Mercedes-Benz
S-Class (in a tie) and Honda CR-V -- also earned awards in the 2007 Initial
Quality Study, and are examples of how manufacturers can learn from
preceding models to improve in both initial quality and appeal."
The Nissan Armada ranks highest in its segment for a fourth consecutive
year. Several models, including the Ford Mustang, Honda Ridgeline and Honda
Odyssey rank highest in their respective segments for a third consecutive
year, while the Porsche Cayman and Hyundai Azera earn awards for a second
consecutive year. The Mustang and Mercedes-Benz E-Class also rank highest
in their segments in both the APEAL study and IQS.
Porsche is the highest-ranking nameplate in APEAL for a third
consecutive year. The most improved nameplate in the 2007 study is Scion.
The 2007 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February
and May 2007 from more than 91,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2007
model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of
ownership.
Find more detailed findings on new-vehicle APEAL performance as well as
model photos and specs by watching a video, reading an article and
reviewing appeal ratings at JDPower.com.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is
an ISO 9001-registered global marketing information services firm operating
in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance
improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and
satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers
annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance,
health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com.
J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
2007 Nameplate APEAL Ranking(Based on a 1,000-point scale)
Porsche 849
BMW 847
Mercedes-Benz 844
Jaguar 841
Lexus 836
Audi 829
Infiniti 823
Cadillac 818
Land Rover 816
Acura 815
Lincoln 810
Scion 809
Volkswagen 800
Volvo 792
Saab 784
Mazda 777
Honda 776
Nissan 776
HUMMER 773
Industry Average 772
Mitsubishi 770
GMC 768
Hyundai 766
Chevrolet 763
Pontiac 762
Toyota 761
Saturn 757
Ford 754
Buick 750
Mercury 743
Kia 742
Chrysler 740
Suzuki 738
Dodge 737
Subaru 724
Jeep 718
NOTE: Not included due to small sample size are: Isuzu and MINI.
Top Three Models per Segment
Car Segments
Sub-Compact Car
Highest Ranked: Honda Fit (Tie), Toyota Yaris (Tie)
Nissan Versa
Compact Car
Highest Ranked: Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen Rabbit
Honda Civic
Compact Sporty Car
Highest Ranked: Volkswagen GTI
Scion tC
Volkswagen Eos
Compact Premium Sporty Car
Highest Ranked: Porsche Cayman
Porsche Boxster
Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class
Entry Premium Car
Highest Ranked: BMW 3 Series
Lexus IS 250/IS 350
Acura TL (Tie)
Audi A4 (Tie)
Midsize Premium Car
Highest Ranked: Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Lexus GS 350/GS 430/GS 450h
BMW 5 Series
Large Premium Car
Highest Ranked: Mercedes-Benz S-Class
BMW 7 Series
Lexus LS 460
Premium Sporty Car
Highest Ranked: BMW 6 Series
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Chevrolet Corvette
Midsize Sporty Car
Highest Ranked: Ford Mustang
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Midsize Car
Highest Ranked: Nissan Altima Sedan
Volkswagen Passat
Saturn AURA
Large Car
Highest Ranked: Hyundai Azera
Toyota Avalon
Dodge Charger
Truck / Multi-Activity Vehicle (MAV) Segments
Compact MAV
Highest Ranked: Honda CR-V
Mazda CX-7
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Midsize MAV
Highest Ranked: Ford Edge
Saturn Outlook
GMC Acadia
Large MAV
Highest Ranked: Nissan Armada
Chevrolet Tahoe
Chevrolet Suburban
Midsize Premium MAV
Highest Ranked: BMW X5
Audi Q7 (Tie)
Mercedes-Benz M-Class (Tie)
Large Premium MAV
Highest Ranked: Cadillac Escalade EXT (Tie), Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (Tie)
Lincoln Navigator
Large Pickup
Highest Ranked: GMC Sierra LD
Chevrolet Avalanche
Chevrolet Silverado LD
Midsize Pickup
Highest Ranked: Honda Ridgeline
Ford Explorer Sport Trac
Toyota Tacoma
Van
Highest Ranked: Honda Odyssey
Kia Sedona
Hyundai Entourage
NOTE: Models with multiple trim levels are combined for ranking purposes.
appropriate link.
Neal Oddes
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscr....aspx?ei=58144
SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates
For decades they had a cult following, and even today, it is the U.S,-market brand with the highest percentage of repeat-ownership loyalty.
and who really cares what the other people think about your car as long as you like it.
With the quality of most cars and trucks increasing steadily, automakers are emphasizing styling, performance and comfort features to attract buyers, J.D. Power officials said.
"It used to be you had two kinds of customers," Mr. Ivers said. "You had the buyer for whom a car is just a utility device and must be problem-free. And the second was a buyer who wanted a car that would engage them, and they would be a little more forgiving of problems."
Then Lexus came along about 20 years ago with cars that were both stylish and highly reliable, he said.
"You can have both now, and that's what many buyers expect," Mr. Ivers said.
Detroit has dramatically improved the quality of its vehicles, but it also needs to offer styling and features that pull buyers into showrooms.
"All three Detroit automakers are in existential crisis," Mr. Ivers said. "Survival is not going to occur if they just take costs out of their operations. They also have to build vehicles that people really want."
Virtually all of the top 10 makes in the survey were high-end vehicles.
Luxury vehicles typically have more features and technical innovations than mainstream cars, and they often have higher levels of performance and handling as well. In short, there's a lot to like about these cars and trucks.
But some mainstream brands also did well.
Honda had four vehicles that finished first in the 19 segments that J.D. Power measured, which ranged from subcompacts to minivans. Honda's total was more than any other automaker and included awards for the Fit subcompact, CR-V compact SUV, Ridgeline pickup and Odyssey minivan.
BMW and Mercedes-Benz each had three top-ranked vehicles, and Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen won two each. Two of the full-size SUVs built at the General Motors assembly plant in Arlington, the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, were runners-up for best large SUV.
Mr. Ivers said he found Ford's awards for the Mustang (highest-ranked midsize sporty car) and the Edge (top-ranked midsize SUV) to be especially encouraging. The automaker is trying to rebound from a devastating $12 billion loss last year.
"The Mustang just keeps on ticking, and the Edge is an indicator that at least in this category, Ford is able to hit a home run," he said.
While consumers say they want trouble-free cars with lots of features, some participants in the survey gave high marks to makes such as Land Rover that fared poorly in the Initial Quality Survey.
This was the 12th annual APEAL survey, and responses were gathered from 91,000 new car owners and lessees between February and May 2007, officials said.
On the other hand, Toyota – which ranked highly in J.D. Power's quality survey – fell below the industry average of 772 in the APEAL survey. Out of 1,000 points, Toyota scored a 761.

"In these surveys, the [Mercedes-Benz] S-Class was a rarity," Mr. Ivers said. "It was the best in its segment for both – with the fewest things gone wrong and the most things people liked."
The survey is more than a beauty and personality pageant. Vehicles with higher APEAL scores typically are sold with lower incentives.
"Offering larger incentives decreases the profitability of vehicles, so it's important for manufacturers to incorporate those 'must-have' features and design elements that will entice buyers, which also reduces the need for large customer-cash rebates," said Neal Oddes, director of product research and analysis at J.D. Power.
For decades they had a cult following, and even today, it is the U.S,-market brand with the highest percentage of repeat-ownership loyalty.
Trending Topics
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Apeal
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Apeal

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Apeal
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ighlight=Apeal
For decades they had a cult following, and even today, it is the U.S,-market brand with the highest percentage of repeat-ownership loyalty.
True, the snout on the B-9 and last Impreza models was bad, but that has been rectified in the 2008's.












