JLR scores well in US J.D. Power survey

Jaguar and Land Rover have performed well in the US J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.

The latest results show the appeal of the two British brands in North America and tempers the poor showing of both in the recent UK reliability survey conducted by Warranty Direct in conjunction with What Car?.

The least reliable car brands

The Jaguar brand ranked second in the industry for vehicle appeal in the US while the Range Rover Evoque was found to be the most appealing car of all in the Entry Premium Crossover SUV segment.

Road Test: Range Rover Evoque 2.2 TD4 (2011 onwards)

For the second year in a row, the Jaguar marque ranked second out of 34 brands, with Land Rover finishing in sixth place. The Jaguar XJ saloon was voted as the second most appealing vehicle in the Large Premium Car class.

The XJ’s success in the states has helped Jaguar become the second most improved nameplate, with the car scoring 901 points in the study – one of only three vehicles to top a tally of 900.

The Range Rover Evoque scored higher than its competitors too, even in its debut year, proving the appreciation the car has across the pond.

The car’s achievements in the J.D. Power APEAL Study helps neutralise the recent news that the Land Rover brand is one of the worst performing marques in terms of reliability in the UK.

According to the study by Warranty Direct in partnership with What Car?, the carmaker’s vehicles aged between three and 10 years old have a 71% failure rate and are three times less reliable than the average car. Jaguar also performed poorly in the study, recording a breakdown score of 43%.

However, whereas the UK study assesses used car reliability, the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL research examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes, not just solely on a car’s dependability.

This points towards improving quality in both brands’ newer vehicles.

The least reliable car brands

Road Test: Range Rover Evoque 2.2 TD4 (2011 onwards)