Yesterday, I reported that the Lincoln Navigator achieved a pretty magnificent status award as the highest rated of any model in J.D. Power’s latest APEAL Study. The APEAL Study is based on “new vehicle owners’ assessments of the design, content, layout, and performance of their new vehicle after 90 days of ownership.” It’s certainly one of the more democratic ways to determine what great, fun, beautiful cars are on currently on the market.
That very big, very excellent SUV from Lincoln is not alone, however — many other vehicles are among the elite. Among them are the 11 below as well as many others.
J.D. Power’s APEAL Study takes customer feedback into account in order to rank current vehicles in terms of “automotive performance, execution and layout.” The 10 categories considered are exterior, seats, interior, driving dynamics, storage and space, engine and transmission, fuel economy, visibility and safety, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and overall audio, communications, entertainment and navigation systems. You can read more about the study here if you like charts and some extra detail, but suffice it to say the cars, trucks and SUVs that took home awards are among the most satisfying to own and drive. As you can see below, we certainly agree on many fronts.
To me, the best part of this APEAL Study survey is that it speaks to what our readers tend to think is important in car ownership (if your reading habits are any indication, at least). No vehicles below are boring, none are really all that pretentious either. What they are is uncompromising in their pursuit of enjoyment and driving pleasure, design and comfort, appropriate technology and reasonable cost. In short, they are appealing for very solid, measurable reasons, as you’ll no doubt agree.
APEAL Study Cars
Spending $75,000? Here’s Why You Should Buy a Continental
Lincoln is finally doing things on a par with the global giants.
Can Chrysler Finally Make the Minivan Cool?
Cruising the Hollywood Hills in the new dad-centric Pacifica.
The New Turbocharged Accord Is a Sound Argument for Not Buying a Luxury Car
A new torquey, turbocharged engine and a suite of tech make it a hypercompetent sedan for the money.
2019 Volkswagen Jetta Review: Essentially an Audi A3 for Thousands Less
For VW to go and completely rework a car that’s part of the collective consciousness is a damn big deal. Fortunately, they seem to have gotten it quite right on nearly all fronts.
2018 Mustang GT Performance Pack 2 Review: Is It Worth the $6,500 Upgrade?
In a pure performance context, however, it’s all the things anyone would dream to do make their Mustang track-ready — Ford just went ahead and took care of the extra legwork and bundled in a…
APEAL Study SUVs
After 20 Years, the All-New Lincoln Navigator Is Finally a Worthy Competitor to the Escalade
Simply put, the Navigator does the “big luxury SUV” thing far, far better.
The 2019 Porsche Cayenne Proves High-Performance Isn’t Limited to the 911
Ferocious energy and barely any of the hesitation or roly-poly-ness you expect.
The All-New 2018 BMW X3, Now in M-Sport Flavor
14 years and 1.5 million X3s later, BMW just introduced the next generation of its compact SUV.
APEAL Study Trucks
The 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor Is Set To Get Even Better Off-Road
Ford’s street-legal, daily-driveable Baja racer is set to get more upgrades to increase its off-road capabilities further still.
Review: The Honda Ridgeline Is the Minivan of Trucks (and That’s a Good Thing)
Using the same platform as the Odyssey, the Ridgeline is a clever take on the classic pickup.
GMC Goes Boss-Level with the Luxe, High-Tech Sierra Denali
The Sierra Denali, the “most premium Sierra ever,” according to GMC, is for the badass who can appreciate some open pore wood paneling while traveling to pressing business in Wine Country.
The Ford Expedition Makes a Triumphant Return and Is Joined by an All-New SUV for the US
The reasons for doubling down on SUVs are obvious, but who exactly Ford is selling these to may surprise you.