Tesla Slips in J.D. Power 2024 Owner Satisfaction Study, Rivian and Porsche Lead

Tesla has fallen behind Rivian, Porsche, and Jaguar in J.D. Power's 2024 APEAL Study. The survey, which evaluated owner satisfaction after 90 days, highlighted a significant improvement in scores for mainstream brands.

Tesla Falls Behind Rivian and Porsche in J.D. Power's 2024 Owner Satisfaction Survey

In a recent owner satisfaction survey, Tesla, a perennial leader, has slipped a few points behind Rivian, Porsche, and Jaguar, which have secured some of the index's highest positions. This shift in rankings underscores the dynamic nature of the automotive industry.

According to Teslarati, last week, J.D. Power released its 2024 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study, which assessed the satisfaction of vehicle owners after 90 days of ownership. The index examined responses from 99,144 owners of 2024 model-year vehicles and observed a significant increase in satisfaction among mainstream brands. This is a notable shift, as these brands had previously struggled to resonate with consumers.

Tesla received an aggregate score of 870 in the evaluation, a decrease from its 878 score in the 2023 APEAL Study. In the interim, Porsche, BMW, Dodge, Ram, and numerous other OEMs experienced an increase in their scores from year to year. “Traditional manufacturers have listened to the Voice of the Customer,” notes J.D. Power Senior Director of Auto Benchmarking Frank Hanley. “They’re launching enhanced vehicles that are more in line with what customers want, including improved interior storage and higher quality materials, as well as ensuring features have ease of use.

“For BEVs, recent launches from traditional manufacturers have surpassed perennial leader Tesla when it comes to owners’ level of emotional attachment and excitement with their new vehicle.”

J.D. Power also specifies that the investigation was conducted from July 2023 to May 2024 concerning vehicles registered between April 2023 and February 2024. The 2024 publication of the APEAL, which is now in its 29th year, asks vehicle owners to evaluate their satisfaction with 37 distinct vehicle factors.

The average score for infotainment systems was 823, the lowest among all the categories assessed. However, this figure represents a five-point increase from the previous year. In general, vehicles that utilized Apple CarPlay or Android Auto ranked higher, with averages of 840 and 832, respectively.

Rivian and Tesla Score High but Miss Awards Due to J.D. Power Criteria

Even though Rivian and Tesla received high scores in the overall evaluation, Polestar and these automakers were not awarded due to the brands failing to satisfy the study award criteria. “There must be at least three models with 80 percent of market sales or four models with 67 percent of the market sales in any given award segment for an award to be presented,” J.D. Power writes on the criteria for inclusion in the awards. “In the Small Car, Midsize Premium Car, Large Car, Large Premium Car, Compact Sporty Car, and Midsize Sporty Car segments, these criteria were not met, thus no awards have been issued.”

J.D. POWER’S TOP-RANKED VEHICLE BRANDS IN THE 2024 APEAL STUDY

Top 10 premium brands by owner satisfaction

• Rivian (900)
• Porsche (891)
• Jaguar (886)
• Land Rover (882)
• BMW (881)
• Mercedes-Benz (876)
• Lincoln (874)
• Genesis (873)
• Tesla (870) premium segment average (870)
• Cadillac (868)
• Top 10 mass-market brands by owner satisfaction
• MINI (858)
• Ram (854)
• Kia (853)
• Hyundai (846)
• GMC (845)
• Volkswagen (844)
• Buick (842)
• Chevrolet (841) mass-market segment average (838)
• Dodge (837)
• Honda (836)

According to J.D. Power, these brands did not meet the APEAL Study’s awards criteria, meaning they were not rank-eligible.

Last month's report, Tesla, Rivian, and Polestar were awarded low rankings in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study for 2024. This was reportedly because many battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) required additional repairs, allegedly caused by the inclusion of newer technology.

J.D. Power ranked Tesla's mobile app as the best among several manufacturers in May, just ahead of Mercedes, BMW, and Genesis. The company also stated earlier this year that Tesla and Mercedes-Benz have the most impressive websites in the industry.