Hyundai bags highest rating in new technology experience, study says

Cars offer increasing levels of onboard tech with each iteration, but users grapple with a learning curve while struggling to see how certain features are useful on a daily basis. For customers in the U.S., Hyundai passes both criteria with flying colors. 

Hyundai leads mass market brands in the U.S. in terms of new technology experience among owners

According to the 2021 Tech Experience Study (TXI) conducted by market research company J.D. Power, the Korean automaker ranked the highest with a score of 519 among a field of mass market brands. This was followed by Kia with 510, Nissan with 502, Subaru with 499, and GMC with 498. 

J.D. Power conducted the study among 110,827 owners of new 2021 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership from February to July 2021.     

The TXI gauges how effectively each carmaker brings technology to their target markets, measured on a 1,000-point scale. It combines the level of adoption of new technologies and the excellence in execution, taking note of how much customers like the features as well as the problems they encounter while using them. 

Only technologies classified as advanced are eligible for awarding, divided into four categories: 

• Convenience
• Emerging automation
• Energy and sustainability
• Infotainment and connectivity

Hyundai’s Elantra compact sedan won the emerging automation award for its Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with Pedestrian, Cyclist, and Junction-Turning Detection. The feature uses radar technology and camera sensors to help prevent accidents with other road users. Working with stability control, FCA automatically applies the brakes while alerting the driver of a potential collision.  

The Elantra's Forward-Collision Avoidance Assist (FCA) feature won the award for emerging automation

“Based on research, we understand unmet customer needs, and deliver advanced technology solutions to meet their needs,” said Ricky Lao, Director for Product Planning at Hyundai Motor North America. “We are glad that customers find these advanced technologies user-friendly.”

Meanwhile, Hyundai’s spun-off luxury brand Genesis has the highest overall ranking in the premium segment with 634, beating out rivals Volvo (550), BMW (545), and Mercedes-Benz (523). While electric vehicle company Tesla achieves the highest score at 668, it is not officially ranked as Tesla does not grant J.D. Power permission to survey owners in the 15 states where its vehicles are sold. 

Luxury auto brand Genesis edged out its more established European rivals in the premium category 

Kristin Kolodge, Executive Director of Human Machine Interface at J.D. Power, says that high prices on new cars are justified only if owners are getting their money’s worth. “Automakers suffer a hit to profits and sales velocity if they build the wrong mix of features on their vehicles,” she explains. “The TXI research quantifies the benefits when there is alignment between what the owners truly want and what the automakers produce.”      

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