- Hybrid vehicles rank highest in emotional satisfaction
- Premium brands widen gap over mass market brands
- Chinese-origin brands improve 22 points in APEAL
MEXICO CITY: 29 Oct. 2026 —Vehicle owners in Mexico are connecting with the combination of efficiency and driving enjoyment offered by hybrids, which earn the highest emotional satisfaction score across major powertrain types, according to the JD Power 2026 Mexico Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study,SM released today. Year over year, the APEAL Index score among hybrid owners increases 10 points to 929 (on a 1,000-point scale), while the overall APEAL score declines eight points to 892. Chinese-origin brands also make gains, improving 22 points from a year ago.
“Owners want greater efficiency without giving up the comfort and driving experience they value, and hybrids are meeting those expectations,” said Gerardo Gomez, senior director and country manager at JD Power Mexico. “The gains among Chinese brands also show that established manufacturers cannot take their position for granted. As competition grows, brands need to give owners clear reasons to feel good about their choice every time they get behind the wheel.”
The APEAL Index score is calculated by measuring owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 10 areas represented as an overall index, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction.
Following are some key findings of the 2026 index:
- Electrified vehicles lead in emotional satisfaction: Hybrids rank highest in APEAL (929), followed by plug-in hybrids (919), battery electric vehicles (913), diesel vehicles (901) and gasoline vehicles (891). Hybrid scores increase 10 points from 2025, while gasoline vehicle scores decline nine points. Safety, powertrain, exterior, driving feel and driving comfort are the highest-scoring areas among hybrid owners.
- Premium brands widen their advantage: The APEAL Index gap between premium (908) and mass market (892) brands widens to 16 points from 12 points in 2025, but scores decline in both segments, with premium brands down four points and mass market brands down eight points. Premium brands hold their largest reported advantages in setting up and starting the vehicle (+32 points) and infotainment (+28).
- Chinese brands make substantial gains: APEAL Index scores among Chinese-origin brands increase 22 points, the second-largest improvement after Italian brands (+25). Exterior, driving comfort and getting in and out of the vehicle are the highest-scoring areas for Chinese brands. APEAL scores among Swedish-origin brands average 927, while scores among Japanese-origin brands decline 18 points from 2025 to 893, the largest decrease among countries of origin.
Brand Rankings
Volvo ranks highest in APEAL among premium brands with a score of 927. GMC (919) ranks second and BMW (915) ranks third.
Great Wall Motor and Honda rank highest in APEAL among mass market brands, in a tie, each with a score of 917. Honda ranks highest for a second consecutive year. Hyundai (908) ranks third.
The 2026 Mexico APEAL Study is based on responses from 9,344 original owners of 2023 to 2025 model-year vehicles. The 10 factors used to calculate the overall APEAL Index score are (in order of importance): powertrain; driving feel; keeping you safe; fuel economy; driving comfort; exterior; getting in and out; setting up and starting; infotainment; and interior. The study was fielded from December 2025 through August 2026. The APEAL dataset allows automakers to immediately identify the specific features, driving characteristics and styling cues that are resonating most and helping to drive brand loyalty among new-vehicle buyers.
About JD Power
JD Power is a proven leader in business-critical data and intelligence to drive auto-related decisions with confidence and clarity. By leveraging unmatched proprietary data, advanced analytics and deep industry expertise, JD Power fuels original equipment manufacturers, retailers, lenders, insurers and partners to enhance their performance.
Since 1968, JD Power has delivered incisive guidance and intelligence about customer interactions with brands and products. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com.
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