Owners in Mexico Express Higher Emotional Connection with Their New Vehicle, Driven by Hybrids and Premium Brands, J.D. Power Finds
BMW (Premium) and Honda (Mass Market) Rank Highest in Respective Segments
MEXICO CITY: 7 Nov. 2025 — Vehicle owners in Mexico continue to express high emotional attachment to their new vehicles, according to the APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) section of the J.D. Power 2025 Mexico Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today. The overall APEAL Index score is 900 (on a 1,000-point scale).
“We’re seeing a positive shift in how vehicle owners in Mexico connect with their vehicles, as overall emotional satisfaction continues to rise,” said Gerardo Gomez, senior director and country manager at J.D. Power de Mexico. “Hybrid vehicles are earning strong appeal scores thanks to their balanced combination of efficiency, driving comfort and powertrain performance. Additionally, premium brands continue to stand out for their technology and infotainment experiences, even as mass market vehicles close the gap in APEAL Index customer satisfaction.”
The APEAL Index score is calculated by measuring owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 10 areas, which is represented as an overall index, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.
Following are some key findings of the 2025 study:
- Hybrid and BEV owners show strongest emotional connection: The APEAL Index score among hybrid owners is highest (919), surpassing that of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle owners (900) and plug-in hybrid/battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners (905). Strengths of hybrids include driving comfort, powertrain performance and safety, while BEV owners indicate that driving dynamics and interior quality tend to be lacking compared with offerings on vehicles with other fuel types.
- Stronger APEAL scores drive greater brand loyalty: Repurchase intent among vehicle owners rises sharply as APEAL scores increase. Owners who say they will repurchase the same brand have an average APEAL Index score of 935, compared with 820 among those who say they will not repurchase the same brand.
- Premium vehicles maintain key satisfaction advantages despite narrowing gap: The APEAL Index segment average score gap between premium (912) and mass market (900) brands has narrowed to just 12 points. Premium brands still lead in key areas such as powertrain (+19 points) and infotainment (+27). However, this year’s highest-ranked mass market brand outscored the top premium brand, with scores of 930 and 920, respectively.
Highest-Rankings Brands
BMW ranks highest in APEAL among premium brands with a score of 920. Merecedes-Benz (914) ranks second. The segment average is 912.
Honda ranks highest in APEAL among mass market brands with a score of 930. Mazda (921) ranks second and Toyota (915) ranks third.
The APEAL section of the 2025 Mexico Vehicle Dependability Study is based on responses from 8,543 original owners of 2022 to 2024 model-year vehicles. The factors used to calculate the overall APEAL Index score are (in order of importance): 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 November 2024 through August 2025.
About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in automotive data and analytics, and provides industry intelligence, consumer insights and advisory solutions to the automotive industry and selected non-automotive industries. J.D. Power leverages its extensive proprietary datasets and software capabilities combined with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence tools to help its clients optimize business performance.
J.D. Power was founded in 1968 and 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
Joe LaMuraglia, J.D. Power; East Coast; +1 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com
About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules http://www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info
