Quick, what’s the car brand that brings a strong emotional attachment to its owner? Which brand delivers the most excitement? If you’re thinking, Porsche then you’re absolutely right.

Based on J.D. Power’s 2019 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study (this study isn’t done in the Philippines), Porsche ranks the highest with a score of 891 out of 1,000 followed by BMW and Hyundai’s premium car brand, Genesis tied in second with 868, then Audi (867) and Volvo (863) in third and fourth respectively.

The APEAL Study measures owners’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle across 77 attributes, ranging from the power they feel when they step on the gas to the sense of comfort and luxury they feel when climbing into the driver’s seat. These attributes are then combined into an overall APEAL index score measured on a 1,000-point scale.

The study, now in its 24th year, is based on responses gathered from February 2019 through May 2019 from nearly 68,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2019 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.

In this year’s study, J.D. Power notes that across all 10 vehicle categories examined, all showed improvements over last year with infotainment, and visibility and safety garnering the biggest jumps. Interestingly, the satisfaction gap between cars and SUVs is shrinking. Though cars still hold a slight advantage when it comes to fuel economy and engine/transmission, SUVs gain the upper hand in most other areas including driving dynamics, storage and space, and visibility and safety.

The U.S. auto industry average satisfaction index score increases to 823 (on a 1,000-point scale) from 820 in 2018, with 22 of the 32 brands included in the study improving from last year. Drilled down further, the gap between luxury and mass market brands is shrinking. In fact, the 35-point gap is the smallest in the study’s history.

While Porsche is the best premium brand in the survey, RAM is the highest ranked mass market brand, followed by Dodge, MINI, Volkswagen, and Ford. Incidentally, RAM is also the most improved brand, followed by Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, and Jeep.

Ford has the most model-level awards with five, followed by BMW with four. The Audi A7 is the highest-scoring model in the study overall. Receiving a model-level award for a third straight year are Ford F-150 and Porsche Cayenne. Ford Expedition, Honda Accord, MINI Countryman, and Nissan Maxima each receive a model-level award for a second consecutive year.