Power APEAL Survey: Lexus on Top, Caddy and Jag Improve

The latest J.D. Power study of which vehicles push the right buttons - the APEAL study, for automotive performance, execution and layout - finds that the Lexus brand is still the most coveted by shoppers. However, with 43 new or redesigned models on the market for 2004 (including some 2005 models), many new nameplates show up on the new survey -names like the Chrysler 300 and Chevy Malibu, Pontiac GTO and Nissan Armada. Brands like Jaguar and Cadillac saw significant improvements in their overall rankings thanks to new vehicles like the SRX and XJ series, as did Mazda and Mitsubishi. You can see more results by following the link below. The 2004 survey results are based on responses from 102,951 new-vehicle owners who were surveyed during the first 90 days of ownership.

Entry Midsize Car

Highest Ranked: Chevrolet Malibu
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima

Entry Luxury Car

Highest Ranked: Chrysler 300 Series (2005)
Acura TL
Cadillac CTS (tie)
Lexus IS 300/IS 300 SportCross (tie)

Mid Luxury Car

Highest Ranked: BMW 5 Series Sedan
Cadillac DeVille
Lincoln Town Car

Sporty Car

Highest Ranked: Pontiac GTO
Volkswagen GTI
Hyundai Tiburon (tie)
Dodge SRT-4 (tie)

Compact Pickup

Highest Ranked: Subaru Baja
GMC Canyon
Ford Explorer Sport Trac

Light-Duty Full-Size Pickup

Highest Ranked: Cadillac Escalade EXT
Nissan Titan
Ford F-150 LD

Heavy-Duty Full-Size Pickup

Highest Ranked: Dodge Ram Pickup HD
GMC Sierra HD
Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty

Entry SUV

Highest Ranked: Chevrolet Equinox (2005)
Honda Element
Ford Escape (2005)

Full-Size SUV

Highest Ranked: Nissan Armada
Toyota Sequoia
GMC Yukon (Total)

Premium Luxury SUV

Highest Ranked: Lexus LX 470
Lexus GX 470
Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV

http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7655