Vehicle Buyers Paying More Attention to Safety, J.D. Power Finds

SHANGHAI: 18 Aug. 2022 – Vehicle buyers show more emphasis on safety across all segments than they did a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2022 China Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study,^SM released today.

The study, now in its 20th year, examines new-vehicle owners’ assessments of their experience with their vehicle within the first two to six months of ownership. The resulting data is used extensively by manufacturers to help them design and develop more appealing models. The overall APEAL score for the industry is 730 (on a 1,000-point scale) this year, decrease from 733 in 2021.

Among the study’s 10 factors, safety is the only one to increase across all vehicle segments, which indicates that buyers attach more importance to vehicle safety year over year. However, the APEAL score for safety declines 5 points to 720 from a year ago, indicating that consumers' perception and satisfaction of safety has declined.

“Recently, some vehicle safety incidents have raised the attention of owners and the industry,” said Elvis Yang, general manager of auto product practice at J.D. Power China. “In fact, as China's automotive market continues to mature, consumers are becoming more rational. While being impressed by the high exterior level and various smart technologies, they are also paying more attention to the safety. When the automakers are designing and developing new models, they should consider more safety measures to improve the ownership experience.”

Following are key findings of the 2022 study

• Luxury brands lead the industry: The overall APEAL score among luxury brands is 744, which continues to lead the industry. The scores of mass international brands (732) and domestic brands (715) decline. In terms of market segments, luxury vehicles show the highest improvement, up three points from 2021. The overall score for small vehicles remained the same, 723, while scores decline for SUVs, MPVS and midsize cars.

• Gas-powered vehicles lag further behind new energy vehicles (NEVs): The 2022 APEAL score for gas-powered vehicles is 730, nine points lower than NEVs (739). The gap was only two points in 2021.

• Fuel economy becomes most lagged factor: For the Chinese automotive industry, fuel economy/range factors score 728 this year, declining significantly from 744 in 2021. Overall satisfaction is down from 2021 as consumers become more sensitive to the fuel economy/range due primarily to rising gas prices.
   

Study Rankings

Porsche ranks highest in APEAL among luxury brands with a score of 765. BMW (747) and Lexus (747) rank second in a tie.

Buick is the highest-ranking mass market brand with a score of 739. Dongfeng Nissan (738) ranks second and FAW Toyota (737) ranks third.

GAC Trumpchi and Geely rank highest among Chinese domestic brands, each with a score of 731. Dongfeng Forthing (727) and Roewe (727) rank third in a tie.

The segment-level APEAL awards by brand are the Mercedes-Benz GLB Class, Mercedes-Benz GLC Class (tied), and Porsche Panamera, Porsche Macan (tied) and Porsche Cayenne.

Other models that rank highest in their respective segments are Audi A5, BMW 5 Series, Buick All New GL8, Chery Areze 5 Plus, Dongfeng Forthing AX7, GAC Trumpchi GS3, Geely Cool, Haval M6, Honda LIFE, Toyota Allion, Volkswagen CC, Volkswagen Teremont.

The 2022 China Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study measures owners’ emotional attachment to and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 37 attributes in 10 vehicle experience groups: exterior; setting up and starting; getting in and out; interior; performance; driving feel; keeping your safe; infotainment; driving comfort; and fuel economy.

The study is based on responses from 35,277 owners of gas-powered vehicles who purchased their new vehicle between June 2021 and March 2022. The study includes 247 models from 56 different brands and was fielded from December 2021 through May 2022 in 70 major cities across China. Another J.D. Power study, China New Energy Vehicle—Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (NEV-APEAL) Study,^SM measures the satisfaction of NEV owners’ experience with their vehicles.

To learn more about the J.D. Power China Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, please contact: china.marketing@jdpa.com

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. Those capabilities enable J.D. Power to help its clients drive customer satisfaction, growth and profitability. Established in 1968, J.D. Power has offices serving North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. For more information, please visit china.jdpower.com or stay connected with us on J.D. Power WeChat and Weibo.

Media Relations Contacts

Mengmeng Wang, J.D. Power; China; +86 21 8026 5719; mengmeng.wang@jdpa.com

Geno Effler; J.D. Power; USA; 001-714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

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