J.D. Power Names Hyundai Palisade and Santa Cruz as 2022 U.S. APEAL Awards

J.D. Power recently released its 2022 APEAL Awards, which goes above and beyond simple vehicle statistics to determine owners’ emotional attachment and excitement towards their vehicle. In other words, how excited are vehicle owners when they climb into their vehicle for their daily commute, or how much joy and exhilaration do they feel when pressing down on the accelerator?  

Taking home top honors for this award, the Hyundai Palisade and Santa Cruz were the top-rated vehicles in their segments. The Palisade earned the top score in the Upper Midsize SUV segment, while Santa Cruz took the top spot in the Midsize Pickup segment. Additional vehicles in Hyundai’s lineup performed well, with IONIQ 5 and Sonata both finishing second in their respective segments, while Tucson and Accent were third.

How were the Winners Picked?

• The 2022 U.S. APEAL Study, now in its 27th year, is based on responses from 84,165 purchasers and lessees of new 2022 model-year vehicles who were surveyed early in the ownership period across 10 key vehicle categories.
• Driving comfort
• Driving feel
• Exterior styling
• Feeling of safety
• Fuel economy
• Getting in and out
• Infotainment
• Interior design
• Powertrain
• Setting up and starting
• The study asks vehicle owners to consider 37 attributes 90 days after the vehicle purchase, ranging from the power they feel when they step on the accelerator to the sense of comfort when climbing into the driver’s seat. J.D. Power then aggregates the responses to generate an overall APEAL score on a 1,000-point scale.
• The study was fielded from February through May 2022.

Experience the exhilaration of the APEAL award-winning Santa Cruz and Palisade by stopping by our showroom for a test drive.