Driving pleasure, premium quality and reliability guarantee the latest models from the BMW and MINI brands the highest acclaim in international automobile markets. That has been confirmed yet again in a recent study conducted by international market research firm J.D. Power.

In its latest customer survey – the Automotive Performance and Layout Study (APEAL) – assessing satisfaction levels among North American new car buyers, the BMW 5 Series range, BMW X3, BMW Z4 and MINI Countryman emerged as winners of their respective vehicle segments. In addition, four more models from the BMW Group finished in the top three of their category. This tally means the BMW Group boasts the highest number of segment winners of all manufacturers in the latest APEAL survey.

Such excellent individual scores also boosted the overall rankings of the BMW and MINI brands, with BMW coming third in the latest survey. As well as the class-winners – the BMW 5 Series range, BMW X3 and BMW Z4 – the outstanding results of the BMW 7 Series range also contributed to this outcome. The luxury saloon not only came second in its segment but also claimed the second-highest individual score of all the vehicles involved in the APEAL survey, making it the top European model in the entire competition. The BMW 3 Series range and the BMW X6 also finished as runners-up in their respective segments.

The MINI brand likewise bumped up its overall results compared to the previous year. The main driving force here was the new MINI Countryman, which instantly took top honours in its vehicle class. The MINI Cooper also made it onto the winners’ podium, finishing second in its segment.

J.D. Power and Associates ranks among the world’s leading market research firms. Through its numerous surveys, the renowned institute regularly evaluates satisfaction levels among vehicle buyers in the main international car markets. The results of the latest APEAL study for North America are based on a customer survey carried out by J.D. Power on average three months after initial vehicle registration.

[Source: BMW ]