The increasing use of driver assist technology in new vehicles has improved the appeal of these models, according to J.D. Power's 2016 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.

The overall APEAL score for the U.S. automotive industry was up 3 points from 2015 to stand at 801 on the 1,000-point scale. J.D. Power says the launch of several new models, or models with major redesigns, likely contributed to this improvement.

Twenty-two of the 30 new or significantly redesigned models had APEAL scores that exceeded their industry average. In the past decade, the score for new vehicles has been 29 points higher on average than the average for the entire segment.

"The key to successful models is to launch with very high appeal and limit the decline that often comes in subsequent years," said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power. "As automakers continue to add more content, including advanced technologies, to their vehicles, one key way to maintain appeal is to design technology that is easily upgradable and intuitive. Intuitive designs never go out of style. For example, for infotainment systems, intuitive design may mean simplification: bigger buttons, bigger screens, and menus that are laid out in a manner that is easy for the driver to understand."

Driver assist features, such as blind spot monitoring and low speed collision avoidance systems, are designed to prevent accidents and improve vehicle safety. The study found that drivers were also much more likely to be satisfied with their vehicle if it had these features.

While vehicle owners whose drivers did not have blind spot monitoring gave an average APEAL score of 787, the score was 41 percent higher—821—among owners whose vehicles had this feature. Vehicles with low speed collision avoidance had an average APEAL score of 828, 30 percent higher than vehicles without the technology (790).

"Technology-enabled safety features help drivers feel more comfortable and confident while driving their vehicles," said Stephens. "These features are also 'gateway technologies' to autonomous driving capabilities, so the continued level of consumer interest in them will be a critical metric to watch as the industry evolves toward including more automation in new vehicles."

Owners whose vehicles had APEAL scores above 800 were much more likely to advocate the vehicle to other drivers. Of the drivers who owned such a vehicle and did not experience any problems in the first 90 days of ownership, 90 percent said they would definitely recommend the vehicle to others.

Among owners whose vehicles had APEAL scores of 800 or under, only 64 percent said they definitely would recommend the model to others. The share fell even further, to 49 percent, if they reported that they had experienced at least one problem within the first 90 days of ownership.

The APEAL score is based on 10 categories, including driving dynamics, engine and transmission, exterior, fuel economy, HVAC, infotainment and navigation, interior, seats, storage and space, and visibility and safety. Nine of the categories improved in 2016, with fuel economy showing the most significant gain by rising 14 points. The infotainment and navigation category improved by six points, while visibility and safety was up four points.

Despite the improvement in infotainment and navigation, the two lowest rated vehicle features were related to factory-installed navigation systems. The usefulness of the navigation system and ease of using the navigation system both scored low.

The engine and transmission category was the only one to show a decline, dropping one point from 2015. J.D. Power says the vehicle attribute with the most significant drop in score was transmission smoothness when shifting, attributing this result to the increased number of 8- and 9-speed automatic transmissions entering the market.

Premium brands had higher rankings, with an average score of 844. Porsche had the highest APEAL score for the 12th consecutive year at 877. This was followed by BMW (859), Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz (852), and Land Rover, Lexus, and Lincoln (843).

Non-premium brands had an average APEAL score of 794. Volkswagen was the highest ranked among non-premium brands with a score of 809, followed by MINI (809), Kia (807), Ford and Ram (803), and GMC (802).

General Motors had the most segment level APEAL awards, receiving six for its Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC models. The highest ranked models from this automaker included the Buick Cascada (compact sporty car), Chevrolet Camaro (midsize sporty car), Chevrolet Colorado (midsize pickup), Chevrolet Tahoe (large SUV), and GMC Sierra HD (large heavy duty pickup).

The Hyundai Motor Company received five APEAL awards, four of which were given to Kia models. The highest ranked models in their segment included the Hyundai Tucson (small SUV), Kia Optima (midsize car), Kia Sedona (minivan), Kia Sorento (midsize SUV), and Kia Soul (compact multipurpose vehicle).

BMW and Volkswagen each received four awards. Top ranked BMW models included the 2 Series (small premium car), X1 (small premium SUV), X6 (midsize premium SUV), and MINI Clubman (compact car). Its 7 Series was the highest scoring individual model in 2016, but did not receive an award in its segment since there was insufficient competition in the large premium car segment.

Volkswagen was recognized for its luxury brands. These included Audi A6 (midsize premium car), Porsche 911 (midsize premium sporty car), Porsche Boxster (compact premium sporty car), and Porsche Macan (compact premium SUV).

Nissan and Toyota each had two of their models rank highest in their segments. The Nissan Maxima scored highest among large cars, while the Nissan Titan topped the rankings for light duty pickups. Toyota's RAV4 was the highest ranked compact SUV, while the Lexus RC was highest among compact premium cars.

Other automakers who received segment APEAL awards were the smart fortwo, which was the highest ranked city car, and Land Rover's Range Rover, which was the highest ranked large premium SUV.

J.D. Power has been conducting the APEAL study for 21 years, measuring how excited owners are about 77 vehicle attributes. The study aims to assist automakers in developing more appealing models and customers in choosing a vehicle that will hold the most appeal for them. The 2016 study is based on the responses of 80,000 people who bought or leased a new vehicle between February and May.