Cadillac CT6 Named Best Upper Midsize Premium Car In J.D. Power 2020 APEAL Study

J.D. Power recently released the results from its 2020 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which ranks major automakers and new vehicles in terms of owner excitement and emotional attachment. Topping the list in the Upper Midsize Premium Car segment was the Cadillac CT6, which bested the BMW 5 Series for the honor.

The J.D. Power APEAL Study was redesigned for 2020, and is now in its 25^th year. This year, the study looked at responses from 87,282 owners of new 2020 model-year vehicles, who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded between February and May of this year.

Vehicles were ranked on a 1,000-point scale based on 37 individual attributes, including things like the thrill of hitting the throttle, and the sense of comfort and luxury felt when stepping into the cabin. The Cadillac CT6 was the best-ranked vehicle in the Upper Midsize Premium Car segment, while the BMW 5 Series was second. Notably, no other model in the segment performed at or above the segment average. As such, the CT6 and 5 Series are the only two vehicles listed for the segment.

Interestingly, the Cadillac CT6 also managed to secure an award in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), making it one of just eight vehicles to top its segment in both the IQS study and the APEAL study.

The Cadillac CT6 was discontinued earlier this year in an effort to make way for Cadillac’s upcoming line of electric vehicles. Although the CT6 performed well in these J.D. Power studies, sales were lackluster, with 7,951 units last last year, a drop of 17.7 percent compared to the 9,668 units sold in 2018.

Beyond the CT6 specifically, Cadillac as a brand also fared well in the J.D. Power 2020 APEAL Study, securing a third-place finish among all luxury brands studied with a score of 874. Porsche was at the top of the luxury brands list with a score of 881, while Lincoln was second with 876 points.

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Source: J.D. Power

This post was created in collaboration with our sister publication, GM Authority.