General Motors was the recipient of four segment awards in the 2013 J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released Wednesday, July 24th. Of those four, Chevrolet had three — more than any other brand in the Volt, Sonic, and Avalanche, while Buick had one, in the Encore. In addition to the four award recipients, seven GM models placed in the top three of their respective segments.
Notably, three GM products, including the Chevy Volt, Buick Verano, and Chevy Cruze, respectively, swept the Compact Car category.
On a brand basis, the top-ranking General Motors brand was Cadillac, placing seventh in the overall ranking with 841 points. The Wreath and Crest brand was followed by Buick in 16th place with 800 points, Chevrolet in 22nd with 788, and GMC in 25th with 784. There were a total of 33 brands ranked in this year’s APEAL study, with the premium brand average being 844 points, and the non-premium average being 786. In that regard, Cadillac and GMC were slightly below their respective averages, while Chevrolet and Buick were above.
Chevrolet
Each of Chevy’s three segment award-winners ranked, the Volt, Sonic, and Avalanche, are repeat winners. The Volt, for instance, has ranked highest in its segment for three years in a row, while the Sonic and Avalanche both received awards for the second consecutive time.
Here’s how the rest of the Chevy lineup measured up in the study:
| Model | Rank | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado HD | 2 | Large Heavy Duty Pickup |
| Chevrolet Avalanche | 1 | Large Light Duty Pickup |
| Chevrolet Silverado | 2 | Large Light Duty Pickup |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 2 | Midsize Sporty Car |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 3 | Midsize Premium Sporty Car |
| Chevrolet Volt | 1 | Compact Car |
| Chevrolet Cruze | 3 | Compact Car |
| Chevrolet Spark | 2 | City Car |
| Chevrolet Impala | 2 | Large Car |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 3 | Midsize CUV |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 2 | Large SUV |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 3 | Large SUV |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 4 | Midsize Car |
Buick
Meanwhile, the Encore is a brand new winner in the subcompact CUV segment. The minuscule crossover, which is imported from Korea, seems to be performing well for GM not only in the customer satisfaction arena, but also from a sales perspective.
Here’s how the rest of the Chevy lineup measured up in the study:
| Model | Rank | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Buick Encore | 1 | Subcompact CUV |
| Buick Verano | 2 | Compact Car |
| Buick Enclave | 3 | Midsize CUV |
| Buick LaCrosse | 2 | Midsize Car |
| Buick Regal | 3 | Midsize Car |
GMC
Although the GMC brand didn’t take any segments awards, here’s how it measured up:
| Model | Rank | Category |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Terrain | 4 | Compact CUV |
| GMC Sierra HD | 3 | Large Heavy Duty Pickup |
| GMC Sierra LD | 4 | Large Light Duty Pickup |
| GMC Acadia | 9 | Midsize CUV |
| GMC Yukon | 5 | Large SUV |
Cadillac
Like GMC, Cadillac didn’t win any categories — something that we expect will change once the ATS has been on the market for some more time, and the all-new CTS and ELR have launched:
| Model | Rank | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Cadillac XTS | 3 | Midsize Premium Car |
| Cadillac SRX | 6 | Midsize Premium CUV |
| Cadillac Escalade | 2 | Large Premium CUV |
| Cadillac ATS | 9 | Compact Premium Car |
| Cadillac CTS | 10 | Compact Premium Car |
About The J.D. Power APEAL Study
Based on owner evaluations of 77 vehicle attributes that make up a overall APEAL score on a 1,000-point scale, the J.D. Power APEAL Study investigates how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive. In particular, the 2013 study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2013 from over 83,000 buyers and lessees of new 2013 model-year vehicles; the respondents were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
According to J.D. Power, the most appealing vehicles have a tendency to:
- Remain on dealer lots for shorter periods of time
- Command higher transaction prices
- Be more likely to create owner loyalty when they’re traded in
Now in its 18th year, the study has been completely redesigned for 2013 to “better measure the appeal of today’s vehicles, particularly with respect to the new technologies and features now being offered.”
In addition, the study finds that manufactures can charge more for vehicles with higher APEAL, and that owners of vehicles with an APEAL score of 100 points or more than the segment average usually spend over $1,800 more on their new vehicle than do owners of vehicles with a score of at least 100 points lower than the segment average. Similarly, vehicles with APEAL scores at least 100 points higher than the segment average remain on dealer lots an average of three days less than vehicles with scores at least 100 points below the segment average.
On the customer loyalty front, roughly two-thirds (64 percent) of owners whose vehicle achieved an APEAL score at least 100 points above the segment average repurchase the same brand the next time they shop for a new vehicle, compared with just 55 percent of those whose vehicle scored at least 100 points below the segment average.
“One percentage point of loyalty is worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars to automakers,” said vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power, David Sargent. “These companies are fighting for every last customer, and it is clear that appealing products remain the key to achieving this.”
The study, according to the organization, complements its Initial Quality Study (IQS), which itself focuses on the problems experienced by owners during the first 90 days of ownership. APEAL, according to JDP, is “used extensively by manufacturers worldwide to help them design and develop more appealing vehicles and by consumers to help them in their purchase decisions.”
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