New Owners Say The Subaru Outback And Crosstrek Have Considerable Appeal; 6 Auto Brands Rate Higher

The Subaru Outback and Crosstrek both scored high in the latest J.D. Power APEAL Study. What does it mean for consumers?

The new 2018 Subaru Outback and all-new 2018 Crosstrek aren’t in dealer showrooms yet, but the outgoing models scored high in consumer appeal. This is according to the latest 2017 J.D. Power U.S. APEAL Study. When the completely redesigned Crosstrek arrives this summer, it could score even higher.

Subaru Outback and Crosstrek didn’t score highest in the new study, but the Outback wagon (Family SUV) and Crosstrek crossover (Small SUV) scored in the top five vehicles in their respective category. Their new owners are saying they are satisfied with the two vehicles and are generally appealing.

In the Family SUV category, the top-rated vehicles were the 2017 Subaru Outback scoring a 4 out of 5 in the rankings along with the Ford Edge, GMC Yukon, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Kia Sorento. The Nissan Murano, Dodge Durango scored 5 out of 5 with the Chevy Tahoe taking top honors.

In the Small SUV category, the top-rated vehicles were the 2017 Subaru Crosstrek scoring a 4 out of 5 ranking along with the Buick Envision, Ford Escape, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Scoring 5 out of 5 were the Kia Niro, Honda CR-V, and the Buick Encore was number one taking home top honors.

What does it mean for consumers?

Every year, J.D. Power conducts the annual Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The company surveys new-vehicle owners who have been driving their vehicles for at least 90 days, and the owners give their opinions on performance, design, layout and features of their vehicle. The ratings are generated from the data and consumers can see whether the people that bought the vehicle like it or not.

The newly-refreshed 2018 Subaru Outback and newly redesigned 2018 Subaru Crosstrek are arriving soon, and their outgoing models score high with their new owners. Car owners general satisfaction and overall appeal with the family wagon and small crossover seems to be high. Subaru is a brand that has historically given consumers what they want in a vehicle, and they’ve created a niche with their all-wheel-drive vehicles that is unique. Family SUV and small crossover buyers say Outback and Crosstrek have considerable appeal when it comes to performance, design, layout and features.

Photo credit: Subaru