Lincoln Navigator Becomes First American Vehicle to Top J.D. Power APEAL Study

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator has become the first American vehicle ever to emerge as the topper in the J.D. Power APEAL study. Positioned as a full-size luxury SUV, the vehicle dominated its segment in the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study, with customers ranking it as the best when it came to all the parameters ranging from its technology to the comfortability of its seats. The Navigator had the highest score in this generation of the study (2013-2018) and proved to have a significantly higher ranking than other luxury models.

The J.D. Power uses the ranking customers give to 77 attributes that cover everything from the power a vehicle offers to the sense of luxury to measure the emotional attachment and the level of excitement that a vehicle inspires in its owners. The scores for all these attributes are consolidated into an overall APEAL index score which is measured on a 1,000-point scale.

With features like heating, cooling and massage functions, optional Perfect Position seats that can be adjusted in 30 different ways for the most comfortable seating and adjustable drive modes that allows drivers to customize the ride based on weather conditions and the terrain, the Navigator was a clear winner.

Commenting on the achievement, Joy Falotico, president, The Lincoln Motor Company said that at Lincoln, the focus was always on what the client preferred and needed. The Navigator’s ranking in the J.D. Power APEAL study attests to the dedication of the Lincoln team to create a vehicle that offers motorists an exceptional and effortless ownership experience.

Many people who purchase Navigators opt to add on optional technologies like active park assist, the head-up display, and driver assistance options. Over 80 percent of Navigators are sold with the available Technology Package.

The Navigator has drawn many customers away from competing luxury models and over 50 per cent of Navigator buyers are those who have switched from brands like Cadillac, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. Those who buy the Navigator generally tend to be younger when compared to those who buy other Lincoln models with about half of them falling into the 34 to 54 age group.

Based on the scores in the APEAL study, the 2018 Navigator improved by 71 points in its launch year, thus becoming the highest-scoring vehicle in the entire industry. This was the first US model to achieve such a feat. The Lincoln Navigator’s score of 915 is the highest recorded in this generation of the study.

When compared to other premium large SUV’s, the Lincoln Navigator offered several benefits like better fuel economy, the comfort of its third-row seats, its voice recognition system, and the styling of its front-end.

Lincoln’s flagship sedan, the Continental retained its position as the leader in the Midsize Premium Car segment. In the annual 2018 J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study results that were announced earlier in 2018, both the Lincoln Continental and the Lincoln MKC were the toppers in their respective segments.
Lincoln improved its ranking by 12 points and has become the 4th among premium brands, improving its position by two places as it was the 6th in 2017.