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Most appealing cars of 2014 according to J.D. Power

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Josée Paquet
J.D. Power's 2014 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study was released this week, offering a barometer of owner satisfaction based on 77 criteria such as navigation, design, and fuel economy.

Leading the pack this year is Porsche with 882 points out of a possible 1,000, followed by Jaguar (862), Audi (858), Land Rover (853), and BMW (849). At the bottom of the list, you'll find Scion (779), Fiat (768), Subaru (766), Jeep (762), and Mitsubishi (748).

The industry average is 794 points.

By the way, Hyundai ranks highest among non-premium brands in the study. The Korean company was also the highest-ranked non-premium brand in the 2014 Initial Quality Study (IQS).

Here are the most appealing vehicles for every category according to J.D. Power:

Cars
  • Small car: Hyundai Accent
  • Compact car: Dodge Dart
  • Compact premium car: BMW 4 Series
  • Compact sporty car: Volkswagen GTI
  • Compact premium sporty car: Porsche Boxster
  • Midsize car: Mazda6
  • Midsize sporty car: Dodge Challenger
  • Midsize premium car: Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class
  • Midsize premium sporty car: Porsche 911
  • Large car: Dodge Charger
  • Large premium car: Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (tie)

SUVs, trucks and minivans
  • Small SUV: MINI Countryman
  • Compact SUV: Nissan Rogue
  • Compact premium SUV: Audi Q5
  • Compact MPV: Kia Soul
  • Midsize SUV: Toyota Highlander
  • Midsize premium SUV: Porsche Cayenne
  • Midsize pickup: Honda Ridgeline
  • Minivan: Nissan Quest
  • Large SUV: GMC Yukon
  • Large premium SUV: Land Rover Range Rover
  • Large light-duty pickup: Ford F-150
  • Large heavy-duty pickup: Ford F-250/F-350 Super Duty

Source: J.D. Power
Josée Paquet
Josée Paquet
Automotive expert