Aside from being added to Consumer Reports‘ list of recommended vehicles, the Lincoln Nautilus also wound up ranking second overall among all mid-size, premium utility vehicles in J.D. Power’s 2022 Initial Quality Study (IQS). The luxury brand’s success continued with an above-average ranking in the recently-released J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study, and in that same study, the Lincoln Nautilus managed to once again rank among the top mid-size SUVs/crossovers in the premium segment.
This time around, however, the Lincoln Nautilus did slip one spot to third place, as it ranked behind the segment-leading Lexus RX – which was the highest ranked model in that category – as well as the Land Rover Defender. Regardless, these were the only three mid-size premium SUVs/crossovers to make the cut in this year’s APEAL Study.
As a whole – for the first time in the 28-year history of the APEAL Study – the overall market suffered a consecutive year-over-year decline in owner satisfaction, dropping by two points last year and three in 2021. This particular study measures owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle by asking them to consider 37 different attributes. This year’s results were derived from the responses of 84,555 owners of new 2023 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.
“The decline in consecutive years might look small, but it’s an indicator that larger issues may lie under the surface,” said Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Despite the technology and design innovations that manufacturers put into new vehicles, owners are lukewarm about them. While innovations like charging pads, vehicle apps, and advanced audio features should enhance an owner’s experience, this is not the case when problems are experienced. This downward trajectory of satisfaction should be a warning sign to manufacturers that they need to better understand what owners really want in their new vehicles.”
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Comments
Any word on pre order China made Nautilus?
When I’m in the market again for a new vehicle, my loyalty to Ford ends if the only option is an import from China. I’ll go to GM next as long as they’re North America built. Otherwise, the field is open. Japanese or European but never Chinese.
It will be made in china. Like your phone, television, furniture and much more.
My phone, TV, and furniture does not cost $60,000-$80,000. At those prices, Ford can afford to make it in the US or continue to build it in Canada.
As an owner of a ’23 Nautilus, I’m delighted to see this and, I agree, it’s a great vehicle. I traded a 2020 Corsair which I was not at all happy with.
I bought a 2018 MKX (pre-Nautilus) and would have traded for a 2021 Nautilus if they had had any at the time. Like a lot of lease customers, I bought my MKX when I couldn’t trade. So now, when I could easily be in the market again and fully satisfied with my pre-Nautilus, what does Ford do? Delete the wonderful V6 in the Nautilus and shift production to China. Either of those moves would have made me look elsewhere, but Ford’s decision-makers decided strong sales of an excellent vehicle meant absolutely nothing. No wonder Ford announced last week they are losing $4.5Billion on EV’s.
I will never again purchase a union built vehicle. I could care less about where it is built