Tesla, Porsche and Dodge top J.D. Power APEAL study, but there's an asterisk
The study measures owners' emotional attachment to their cars
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tesla may make the lowest "quality" cars, but they still have a lot of "appeal."
(Dodge/Porsche)
That’s according to the latest J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (or APEAL) Study that gave Tesla the highest score of any automaker.
Unlike the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), which tracks the number of problems owners experience with their vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership, the APEAL study gauges their emotional attachment and level of excitement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tesla finished with a score of 896 out of a possible 1,000, ahead of Porsche (881), Lincoln (876) and Cadillac (874), in the ranking of premium brands, but its result comes with an asterisk.
As was the case with the latest IQS that put in a distant last place, Tesla didn't allow J.D. Power to collect data from owners in 15 states that require permission for the APEAL study, so the final results were extrapolated using info from the other states.
Dodge came in first among mainstream brands with a score of 872, giving it a rare double as it also tied for top honors on the IQS. Only Hyundai had finished in first place on both lists in the same year before. Ram and GMC rounded out the top three and Jeep finished last.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Dodge Challenger was named best sporty car, the Ram 1500 best full-size pickup, and the GMC Sierra best heavy-duty truck.
You can click here for additional details and a list of best cars by class from J.D. Power.