Compact Mass Market Vehicles in Mexico Offer High Emotional Satisfaction, J.D. Power Finds

MEXICO CITY: 22 Nov. 2023 — Despite any problems that may arise with their vehicles, owners in Mexico maintain an extremely high emotional attachment to them, according to the APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) section of the J.D. Power 2023 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study^SM (VDS), released today. The overall APEAL Index score of 898 (on a 1,000-point scale) includes two standout vehicle segments for emotional satisfaction: Premium SUV (923) and Compact (922).

“The compact vehicle segment is often overlooked by customers when shopping for a vehicle,” said Gerardo Gomez, senior director and country manager at J.D. Power de Mexico. “The fact that this segment fared well is an indication that consumers can still find a pleasurable driving experience behind the wheel of an affordable vehicle—something that is likely top-of-mind for many in the current economy.”

The APEAL Index score is calculated by the owner’s emotional attachment and level of excitement across 10 areas and combined into an overall index, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.

Following are some key findings of the 2023 study:

• Emotional satisfaction factors vary between premium and mass market: Among premium vehicles, technology performance within the vehicle has the greatest effect on satisfaction. When owners experience problems with infotainment, satisfaction declines 36 points, while issues with features/controls/displays (FCD) results in a 30-point decline. Among mass market vehicles, issues with driving assistance and the driving experience hinders satisfaction the most (-33 points and -29, respectively.)
• Premium vehicles still offer the most satisfaction: Despite gains in recent years, mass market vehicles overall still cannot quite match the emotional satisfaction offered by premium vehicles. Across all categories in the study, owners of premium vehicles are more satisfied than their mass market counterparts, particularly when it comes to infotainment (+51 points); interior (+36); and setting up and starting the vehicle (+33).

Highest-Ranking Brands

GMC ranks highest in APEAL among premium brands with a score of 933. BMW (930) ranks second and Mercedes-Benz (929) ranks third.

Kia ranks highest in APEAL among mass market brands with a score of 919. Honda (915) and Jeep (915) each rank second in a tie.

The APEAL section of the 2023 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study was redesigned this and is based on responses from 6,049 original owners of 2020 to 2022 model-year vehicles. The new factors used to calculate the overall APEAL Index score are: powertrain; driving feel; keeping you safe; fuel economy; driving comfort; exterior; getting in and out; setting up and starting; infotainment; and interior. The study was fielded from October 2022 through July 2023.

About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit https://mexico.jdpower.com/.

Media Relations Contacts
Fabiana Duran; Mexico City; +52 55 1012 0885; fabiana@mediaroom.mx
Geno Effler, J.D. Power; U.S.A.; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

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