Design versus Power
What do customers want?
A super car on the inside or a shiny, impressive one? Once you have chosen your car, are you fully satisfied with it? And does it really matter if it’s a Porsche or a Hyundai?
J.D. Power recently performed their annual Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, to measure owner satisfaction with the performance and design of their new vehicles. What do they like or dislike about their new car after 90 days?
84,000 owners were surveyed between February and May 2015. On a scale of 1000 points, 77 attributes, divided in 8 categories of vehicle and design, were evaluated. Engine/transmission; ride, handling and braking; comfort/convenience; seats; cockpit/instrument panel; heating, ventilation and cooling; sound system; and styling/exterior.
Some interesting facts come out of this year’s edition. The gap between luxury and non luxury cars has decreased to its lowest point since 2006. Even though premium brands consistently have the best design and ride with 841 points registered this year, non premium brands are getting closer to the upper scale scoring up to 790 points this year. This is definitely related to the incorporation of more safety features and technology in the vehicles.
“Over the past several years, we have seen non-premium brands increasingly offer the types of in-vehicle technologies that used to be available only to premium buyers,” said Renee Stephens, Vice President of U.S. automotive Quality at J.D. Power.
Who was the overall winner?
For 11 years in a row, Porsche ranks highest with 874 points. Followed by Jaguar with 855, BMW with 854 points, Mercedes-Benz with 853 points and Audi with 852 points.
The automotive market of today is nothing if not impressive and diverse. Having owner insights is vital for car manufacturers to meet the demands of the market. The knowledge of how owners actually experience the car. What is their level of satisfaction? This is the key question every car manufacturer should ask themselves. Just design or just technical capabilities are not enough, it has to be the perfect combination.
Author: Vicky Lima 
Vicky Lima is a multifaceted professional with a Master Degree in Advertising. She is passionate about customer experience and the Automotive world. Besides her work in social media, she shares her passion and knowledge about cars as a writer. An avid traveler around the world investigating the relationship between customers and brands.
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