Ford Ranked Above Average In 2024 Mexico APEAL Study

Over the past few years, Ford has produced some very mixed results in the J.D. Power Mexico APEAL (Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout) study, ranking below the mass market segment average in 2021 with a score of 864 out of 1,000 possible points, after which it came in above the mean in 2022 with a score of 900 points, though in 2023, Ford fell back below the segment average thanks to its score of 877 points. Now, that proverbial roller coaster ride continues, as Ford bounced back in the 2024 Mexico APEAL Study in a big way.

This time around, Ford finished with a score of 891 out of 1,000 possible points, which ranked it above the mass market segment average of 888 points, and placed it eighth among its rivals in that space. Interestingly, the Mexico version of this year’s APEAL Study revealed that owners south of the border have a stronger emotional attachment to their vehicles than their counterparts to the north – its overall index score of 889 is 42 points higher than the index score for the United States and 185 points higher than the index score for Canada, in fact.

J.D. Power derives these APEAL Index scores by calculating owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement for their vehicles across 10 areas – powertrain; driving feel; keeping you safe; fuel economy; driving comfort; exterior; getting in and out; setting up and starting; infotainment; and interior – and combines those results into an overall index, with a higher score indicating higher satisfaction. This year’s study is based on the responses of 6,740 owners of 2021 to 2023 model-year vehicles.

“Satisfaction among owners in both the premium and mass market segments has dropped year over year across all APEAL categories, particularly with comfort and fuel economy,” said Gerardo Gomez, senior director and country manager at J.D. Power de Mexico. “However, this is largely because modern vehicles – even base models – come packed with technologies that can either malfunction or be difficult to use. Despite these declines, owners still very much appreciate and enjoy their vehicles overall.”