Domestics Overtake Imports in Vehicle Appeal
For the first time since 1997, domestic auto brands, collectively, have surpassed import brands as a whole in vehicle appeal. In 2010, the APEAL score for U.S. domestic brands averages 787 on a 1,000-point scale-13 points higher than the score for import brands (automakers headquartered in Europe or Asia Pacific). However, among premium models, import nameplates continue to retain a notable edge while mass-market models from domestic brands outperform those from import brands.

Domestic brands have been improving steadily in vehicle appeal during the past four years, with the greatest improvement occurring between 2008 and 2010. Improvement in 2010 is driven primarily by high-performing models from Ford and General Motors, including several models that are all-new or have undergone major redesigns.

"Domestic automakers have performed three important actions during the past two years that have led to their gains," said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. "First, they have retired many models that demonstrated low appeal. Secondly, they have introduced new, highly appealing models to their lineups. Finally, they have improved their existing models through freshenings and redesigns."



Newly Introduced Domestic Models Strike a Chord with Buyers
Between 2008 and 2010, newly introduced models by import brands have similar APEAL scores as models retired by these automakers during the same period (averaging 784 vs.781, respectively). In contrast, newly introduced domestic models have strongly outperformed the models retired by domestic brands (803 vs. 758, on average).

"When new-vehicle buyers go through the shopping process, vehicle appeal, along with price and perceptions of quality and durability, is of major importance," said Sargent. "Attributes such as exterior styling are primary determinants of whether a model makes the customer's consideration list in the first place, while other attributes-particularly those related to the interior of the vehicle-are critical in determining which model is ultimately purchased."