Customers Are Satisfied with Most New Vehicle Features for the First Time Since 2019

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According to a new J.D. Power study, new vehicle owners are more satisfied than ever, with improvements showing in all areas of vehicle development. This is the highest improvement since 2019, and since the study was redesigned in 2020.

The study, called the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study, essentially gauges overall customer satisfaction with new vehicles hitting the market. Total satisfaction for this year is 851, out of a 1,000-point scale, which is a 4 point index increase from a year ago.

In all 10 vehicle categories explored in the study, scores increased or improved when compared to last year’s results. In fuel economy, for example, there was a 13-point improvement. Because this all sounds like a bunch of marketing and business jargon to the average person, it simply means that people are happier than ever with their new vehicles. It also means that vehicle manufacturers are likely going in the right direction when it comes to adding new features, improving existing ones, and innovating.

The study doesn’t mean everyone is happy

Hold fast, though.

If you’re unhappy with a newer vehicle you purchased, or a brand in particular, don’t fret. This study doesn’t mean that absolutely everyone is satisfied or has had a positive experience. In fact, it found that people are much less satisfied with vehicle setup and startup functionality — dash and infotainment systems are included in that category.

One of the findings shows that complicated technology additions tend to derail owner satisfaction when it comes to new model launches. This is especially true for owners upgrading from older models.

An interesting finding is that ICE or internal combustion engine owners and hybrid vehicle owners are the most satisfied with their new models. ICE vehicles are traditional engines powered by the combustion of fuel. At a time when gas and maintenance costs are rising, it’s interesting to see people satisfied with their vehicles in that regard. Although one cannot overlook the satisfaction of hybrid vehicle owners, either.

What are the top brands?

According to the study, owners of Porsche, Land Rover, and BMW brand vehicles seem to be the happiest with new upgrades. Also, in the mass market brand category, Mini, Dodge, and GMC take the cake.

That said, the list of top award recipients for improvements goes to BMW AG, Hyundai Motor Group, Ford Motor Company, and Volkswagen AG. General Motors, Nissan, Jaguar, Toyota, and Stellantis NV also received awards worth noting.

Frank Hanley, the senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, says that vehicle manufacturers have “made significant advancements.” It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that most people are satisfied with new offerings.

“[Manufacturers] continue to redefine the vehicle ownership experience and have become more adept at translating innovation into meaningful customer engagement. However, the study finds that owners of new models have lower levels of satisfaction with vehicle setup and startup—as well as infotainment systems—compared with owners of carryover models. This suggests that increasing technology and menu complexity remain persistent challenges for the industry.”

Maintenance is still very much low-tech oriented

As advanced as modern vehicle technologies get, most maintenance tasks and requirements remain manual in nature. Even with hybrid and electric vehicles, oil changes, new filters, cleanings, and other manual tasks are still required.

That’s because even with the slight alterations to the fuel and engine, they’re still very mechanical, with moving parts that need lubrication and care.

When it comes to engine or vehicle failures and malfunctions, you really do yourself a disservice by not having a monitoring tool handy. To be more specific, by not keeping an OBD2 scanner around that can read diagnostic trouble codes, but also pull real-time data from a working vehicle. With that data, you can explore failing batteries or electronic components, fan and sensor complications, and other minor pop-ups that occur from regular vehicle use.

We’d venture to guess, old or new, you’d be much more satisfied with your vehicle if you can keep it running for longer. Preventative maintenance and proper care can make sure that happens, and an OBD2 scanner is integral to that process.

You can always read more about advanced scanners if you’re interested. Otherwise, if you have one of the aforementioned vehicles, or you’re satisfied with a recent vehicle purchase, good on you! That’s not as common in modern times, where prices are going up, and the quality of products and services seem to be going down or stagnating.

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