It’s official: Genesis is still the teacher’s pet in the classroom of automotive tech. According to J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study, the Korean brand has just bagged the title of highest-ranked brand overall for the fifth year running. Five. In a row. That’s not a streak — that’s a dynasty.
And the secret sauce? Tech that doesn’t feel like homework. Genesis hasn’t just shoved gimmicks into dashboards; it’s quietly slipped in features that make life easier — and, crucially, actually work. The brand’s GV80 SUV, for instance, just scooped up “Best Connected Vehicle Technology” thanks to the Genesis Digital Key 2. Forget clunky key fobs the size of a brick: with this system, your phone (or smartwatch) becomes your car key. Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung, watchOS, Android Smart Watch — it’s all invited to the party. If you can tap to pay for coffee, you can tap to drive your Genesis.
Now, that might sound like another buzzwordy gadget destined to gather dust in the settings menu. But the TXI isn’t just about who’s got the most toys. It grades brands on a 1,000-point scale, blending adoption and execution. In other words: do customers actually like these toys, or do they just sit there, glowing smugly on a touchscreen? Genesis smashed the scoring not by bombarding owners with tech but by nailing the user experience.
Tedros Mengiste, Genesis North America’s COO, insists this is all part of the brand’s mission to treat every owner as “Son-nim” — an honored guest. And while that may sound like a neat marketing bow, the results show it’s not empty talk. The study looked at 40 different technologies across five categories — comfort & convenience, driver assist, EV, connected car, and smart vehicle. Genesis didn’t just pass; it aced the exam while everyone else was still fumbling with the calculator.
So, what’s the takeaway? Genesis isn’t just catching up with the Germans and Japanese anymore; it’s schooling them. A luxury brand that started life as the “other” option is now the one setting the benchmark for automotive tech — and making the competition sweat in the process.
Fifth year in a row. Same result. Different headline. If the TXI Study were Formula 1, Genesis would be Max Verstappen with better manners.
For the sixth year running, Hyundai Motor Company has taken home the title of top mass-market brand for technology innovation in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study. That kind of streak isn’t just bragging rights—it’s proof the Korean automaker has built a playbook for rolling out useful tech that everyday drivers actually want to use.
Now in its tenth year, the TXI Study ranks automakers on how effectively they launch new features, weighing innovation, execution, and customer-perceived value. And while plenty of brands are stuffing vehicles with cutting-edge hardware, Hyundai has managed to stand out by prioritizing technology that feels intuitive rather than intimidating.
Take the redesigned 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe, which pulled in multiple awards in this year’s study. The SUV scored hardware wins for both Driver Assist and Connected Vehicle tech, largely thanks to two features that punch above their weight in real-world usability: the company’s phone-based Digital Key system and the Blind-Spot View Monitor.
The Digital Key—now in its second generation and branded Digital Key 2 Premium—lets owners ditch the fob altogether. Instead, access is handled via a smartphone app leveraging Near-Field Communication (NFC), Ultra-Wideband (UWB), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Translation: walk up to your Santa Fe with your phone in your pocket, and the car unlocks itself. Start it, share access with a family member, even hand off digital credentials to a friend—all without passing around a physical key.
Then there’s the Blind-Spot View Monitor, a feature that still feels like a party trick even though Hyundai has been refining it for years. Click on your blinker, and a live feed from side-mounted cameras takes over the instrument cluster, showing you exactly what’s hiding in your blind spot. Whether it’s a cyclist in the city or a crossover hanging out in your left lane on the interstate, the system gives drivers an extra set of eyes—and more importantly, extra confidence.
Individually, neither feature is industry-exclusive. But the way Hyundai integrates them across trims, polishes the user experience, and listens to customer feedback is what keeps the brand at the top of J.D. Power’s innovation scoreboard. While luxury automakers often debut flashy, high-cost tech that trickles down years later, Hyundai has carved out a different niche: democratizing advanced features so that a wider audience actually gets to use them.
And that’s the real story here. In an industry where “innovation” is often synonymous with “expensive add-on,” Hyundai is proving that mass-market doesn’t have to mean second-best.
For more than a decade, automakers have been pushing futuristic interior designs. But a new J.D. Power Initial Quality Study for 2025 suggests that this strategy could have negative long-term consequences.
According to the report, infotainment systems are now the number one source of complaints among new car owners, eclipsing all other categories in the first 90 days of ownership. While the overall number of tech-related grievances has seen a slight dip compared to last year, touchscreen-centric designs continue to frustrate drivers—particularly when basic functions like climate control are buried beneath multiple layers of digital menus.
“While customers find larger touchscreens visually appealing, their functionality within the vehicle is a growing source of frustration,” says Frank Hanley, senior director of automotive benchmarking at J.D. Power. “Customers have to tap and swipe across multiple screens to access key vehicle functions like climate settings and built-in garage door openers.”
Hanley adds that returning to physical buttons for essential tasks could significantly enhance the user experience—a sentiment echoed by many owners who say their dashboards now feel more like tablets than control centers.
This rise in digital frustration comes at a time when manufacturers are pouring resources into creating increasingly tech-heavy cabins. While minimalist interiors might impress in a showroom, the reality of day-to-day driving—adjusting the A/C while navigating traffic—reveals a different story. In some cases, what was intended to be an elegant solution has become an ergonomic problem.
And it’s not just touchscreens under scrutiny. Surprisingly, cup holders have entered the chat.
J.D. Power reports a spike in complaints related to cup holder design. With reusable water bottles, thermoses, and oddly-shaped tumblers now the norm, many drivers are finding their vehicle’s cup holders haven’t kept up. What seems like a minor annoyance becomes a real issue when a $50 water bottle topples over every time you take a turn.
The Initial Quality Study is based on feedback from 92,694 new-car owners and lessees in the U.S., recorded within the first 90 days of ownership. Brands are ranked by the number of problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score indicating higher perceived quality. However, the study does not measure the severity of issues—meaning a rattling trim panel counts the same as a powertrain failure—and it doesn’t reflect long-term reliability.
Top Performers and Surprise Contenders
For 2025, Lexus leads the pack with a score of 166 PP100, followed by Nissan (169) and Hyundai (173). One of the most surprising results came from Jaguar, which finished fourth (175), outperforming brands typically associated with rock-solid reliability. Chevrolet rounds out the top five at 178, despite slipping three places from last year.
On the other end of the spectrum, Rivian ranked lowest with a score of 274. Audi (269) and Volvo (254) also found themselves near the bottom, despite their premium positioning. Tesla, while improved from last year, still came in below average at 200 PP100. Meanwhile, Ram experienced a dramatic drop from last year’s top spot, falling to a middling 218.
Model Highlights and Powertrain Pitfalls
General Motors had a strong showing in individual vehicle rankings, with the Buick Encore GX, Cadillac XT5, and Chevrolet Tahoe, Blazer, and Silverado all topping their respective segments. Ford followed closely with four segment leaders, while Honda secured three wins.
Powertrain-wise, plug-in hybrids performed to be the most problematic category, scoring a worrisome 237 PP100—worse even than full battery-electric vehicles, which scored 212. Regular hybrids were somewhat better at 196, but still fell short of traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, which averaged just 184.
New model introductions also showed a higher incidence of problems (203 PP100) compared to carryover models (190), highlighting the industry’s ongoing challenge in refining new designs and tech before they hit the market.
What This Means for the Future
As automakers race toward an increasingly digitized future, the J.D. Power study serves as a timely reminder that technology must serve the driver—not the other way around. While big screens and minimalist cabins may look great on the showroom floor, the real test lies in daily usability.
Function still matters. And for many drivers, reaching for a physical button may be more satisfying—and less frustrating—than swiping through another digital menu.
