26 of the Most Gratifying Cars to Drive

The gap is narrowing between the appeal of premium-brand cars and nonpremium brand cars. Find out why.

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The gap is narrowing between the appeal of premium brand cars and nonpremium brand cars.

The reason? High-tech safety features.

The J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, released Wednesday, shows the “appeal gap” is as narrow as it’s been in a decade — 16 percent smaller than it was in 2006.

The type of safety features that helped close the gap include blind-spot monitoring and warning systems, park assist/backup warning, and collision avoidance/alert systems.

Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power and Associates, explains in a press release:

“Unlike other technologies, such as voice recognition, that can be challenging to operate, most safety features provide information in a more intuitive way, giving owners a greater sense of security.”

The APEAL Study, now in its 20th year, measures how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive.

This year’s study is based on responses from more than 84,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2015 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.

The average 2015 APEAL Index score for nonpremium cars is 5 points higher than last year, bringing it up to 790 out of 1,000 points. The average score for premium cars is only 1 point higher, bringing it to 841.

The top-ranked models in each of the 26 vehicle classes in the APEAL Study are: