Car-buying decisions can be made in many ways. Some rely solely on what their hearts say while others are more pragmatic and go with whatever fits into their budgets and ticks the most boxes for the money. For a segment of the customer base, rankings made based on surveys and studies are also important. If you’re among those people, J.D. Power has listed its latest SUV ratings, and three vehicles in the top four are BMWs.

The X4, X6, and X7 are the highest ranked in their respective segments for quality and overall appeal, much like it’s the case with the only non-BMW model in the top four – the Kia Telluride. In both rankings for overall quality and overall appeal, the X4 and X6 duo is praised for its style-driven approach, even though it hampers cargo capacity and rear headroom. As J.D. Power mentions: “With that sleek roofline, who cares?”

The biggest of the three X models, the X7, is appreciated for the extra practicality provided by the seven-seat layout, despite the added length and weight negatively impacting the sporty character people usually associate with BMWs. Of course, this all-BMW top three is more than just about sleek looks and a third row since the rankings were created after crunching the numbers from the Initial Quality Study (IQS) and Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study.

The J.D. Power 100-Point Score for the X4 shows great quality and reliability (89 out of 100), best driving experience (92/100), great resale value (81/100), and average dealership experience (79/100) for a combined score of 86 out of 100. Its larger sibling, the X6, scored 81/100 for quality and reliability, 91/100 for driving experience, 76/100 for resale value, and 79/100 for dealership experience, with a combined 82/100 score.

As for the fullsize X7, J.D. Power did the math “based on hundreds of thousands of independent and unbiased opinions of verified car owners” and ended up with these results: 83/100 for quality and reliability, 85/100 for driving experience, 75/100 for resale value, and 79/100 for dealership experience. The combined score is 81/100.

The APEAL study “assesses the emotional attachment and excitement that new-vehicle owners feel 90 days after the big purchase.” For the latest edition, J.D. Power collected responses from 110,827 owners of 2021MY vehicles. The X4 grabbed the award for the third consecutive year in a row while the X6 for the second. In the case of the X7, it’s the first time. A non-SUV from BMW is also on the list, namely the 4 Series.

[Source: J.D. Power]