The results of the 2022 J.D. Power Tech Experience Study are in, and they provide a pretty compelling view of how car buyers perceive innovations in the vehicles that they purchase. It was then no surprise that Texas-based electric vehicle maker Tesla dominated the study’s rankings — “unofficially,” at least.
The 2022 J.D. Power Tech Experience Study provides points to automakers based on how the innovations in their respective vehicles are received by car buyers. Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power, noted in a press release that, at this point, innovation is non-negotiable in the auto segment. The disruption from tech-heavy companies like Tesla is also accentuating the necessity for innovation.
Carmakers are scored on a 1,000-point scale that J.D. Power dubs its Innovation Index. Based on the results of the 2022 J.D. Power Tech Experience Study, Tesla dominated the rankings with an Innovation Index score of 681. This is no surprise, as Tesla has been a tech-focused electric vehicle maker from day one. Its use of over-the-air software updates, which are generally free of charge, is known to provide even older vehicles with new features, from entertainment to safety functions.
Despite Tesla scoring the highest Innovation Index Score in J.D. Power’s study, however, the consumer insights firm noted that the EV maker is not eligible for any of its awards. This is because Tesla does not allow J.D. Power any access to owner information in states where that permission is required by law.
As a result, the automaker that officially ranked the highest in the 2022 J.D. Power Tech Experience Study for the premium segment is Genesis, which earned an Innovation Index score of 643, nearly 40 points behind Tesla. Cadillac, which earned a score of 584, and Mercedes-Benz, which earned a score of 539, are officially the study’s second and third placers in the premium category. Hyundai, the parent company of Genesis, scored the highest among mass market brands with an Innovation Index score of 534.
A look at the observations highlighted in J.D. Power’s study shows that consumers are actually quite focused not just on tech features per se, but tech features that work. As automakers roll out more advanced tech features, it opens the doors for more potential issues. This was the case with fingerprint readers in vehicles, which car buyers have complained about because they tend to not work. This was especially annoying for car buyers since fingerprint reader technology generally works flawlessly today in consumer devices like mobile phones and laptops.
The study also noted that dealers or companies that take their time to teach car buyers how to use their vehicles’ tech features properly are well appreciated. “The result of a dealer demonstrating almost all advanced and emerged technologies results in owners being less likely to abandon a technology after trying it. When a dealer educates a new owner, it elevates the entire ownership experience,” J.D. Power noted in a press release.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
News
Tesla adjusts Online Design Studio for easier trade-in process
Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.
Tesla has adjusted its Online Design Studio to make for an easier trade-in process, reflecting the details of the exchange for a more accurate reflection of payment terms.
Tesla has a great trade-in program that allows you to give the company your vehicle in exchange for cash, even if it’s not an EV. Their trades are mostly fair, but the company seems to undervalue its own vehicles, and there have been plenty of complaints over offers in the past.
Trade-ins are usually given by submitting vehicle details, then Tesla sends an email with an offer. Offers are non-negotiable, but do adjust over time, although the latest offer is valid for 30 days.
I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went
Knowing your new Tesla’s cash price, leasing or loan details, and monthly payment information used to be done by the car buyer. From personal experience, I simply subtracted my trade-in from the cash price of the Tesla Model Y, and I plugged those numbers into the payment calculator.
Now, Tesla is implementing the trade-in process directly into the Design Studio. It will adjust the price of the car and the different monthly payment methods automatically:
Trade-in estimates available directly on our configurator in few states including CA, will cover all of US and Canada next week.
For loyalty customers, if their trade-in VIN is eligible for any loyalty credit, the same will be applied to the estimate. pic.twitter.com/7097vPleMf
— Raj Jegannathan (@r_jegaa) November 8, 2025
The change is already noticed in a handful of states, including California, but it has not rolled out across the board quite yet. It will be implemented in all of the U.S., as well as Canada, this coming week.
The trade-in process is very simple, and after you accept your offer, you simply drop your vehicle off during the delivery process. Making this simple change will be greatly appreciated by owners.
News
Tesla confirms Robotaxi is heading to five new cities in the U.S.
After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.
Tesla Robotaxi will hit five new cities in the United States in the coming months, the company confirmed.
After launching in Austin, Texas, in late June and the Bay Area of California just a few weeks later, Tesla has been attempting to expand its Robotaxi suite to new states and cities in the U.S., and even outside of the country.
The Robotaxi suite is a ride-hailing service Tesla offers, but the details of it change with each jurisdiction, as regulations vary. For example, in Austin, Tesla can operate the Robotaxi suite without anyone in the driver’s seat, as long as the vehicle does not enter a freeway.

Credit: Tesla
In the Bay Area, a Safety Monitor rides in the driver’s seat, essentially acting as the vehicle operator with Full Self-Driving controlling the car.
The local regulations and how Tesla handles them will continue to be a relevant part of the discussion, especially as the company aims to expand the Robotaxi program to different areas. This has been a primary focus of the company for several months, especially within the United States.
CEO Elon Musk said that Tesla was aiming to launch Robotaxi in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida. However, the company detailed five specific cities where it will launch Robotaxi next during the Annual Shareholder Meeting on Thursday.
Tesla will launch Robotaxi in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and Miami next, broadening its Service Area for the suite to more major cities across the U.S.
It has said it plans to offer the service to half of the U.S. population by the end of the year, but it does not seem as if it will expand to more than a handful of cities this year, which is still tremendous progress, all things considered.
As far as autonomy is concerned, Tesla has always had lofty expectations and has made some even loftier statements.
At the Shareholder Meeting, Musk said that the company would likely be able to enable vehicle owners to text while the vehicle drives, alleviating them from potentially having some of the responsibility they have behind the wheel.
Tesla says texting and driving capability is coming ‘in a month or two’
It is not confirmed that Tesla will roll this out in the next few months, but Musk said there is a possibility.
News
Tesla launches another new Model Y trim at a bargain price with massive range
It is the second most-affordable Model Y trim level in China, trailing the base Rear-Wheel-Drive and coming in under the All-Wheel-Drive.
Tesla has launched yet another new Model Y trim level, but this time it is in China, and it is at a bargain price.
It also has an insane range rating.
On Friday, Tesla launched the new Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive in China, priced at 288,500 yuan ($40,500), an incredible deal considering it is not a stripped-down version of the vehicle like the Model Y Standard.
🚨🚨 Tesla’s new China-launched Model Y LR RWD offers 821 km (510 miles) CLTC range with 78.4 kWh CATL battery, beating AWD’s 750 km.
At 288,500 yuan ($40,500 USD), it fits between base RWD (593 km, 263,500 yuan) and AWD (313,500 yuan) for affordable long-range EVs.
CLTC… https://t.co/rhKVzvUWlu pic.twitter.com/ZOoelziJ8T
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) November 8, 2025
It is the second most-affordable Model Y trim level in China, trailing the base Rear-Wheel-Drive and coming in under the All-Wheel-Drive.
The big appeal with this new Model Y trim is obviously its price, but its range rating is also one of the best we’ve seen. Rated at 821 kilometers on the CLTC scale, it converts to 510 miles. It uses a 78.4 kWh CATL battery.
Converted to real-world range, however, that 821-kilometer range rated by the CLTC actually is equivalent to about 357 miles on the EPA scale, which is still a very respectable number and comes in at a higher range than the Long Range All-Wheel-Drive configuration that is available in the U.S.
Tesla has truly brought a wide variety of Model Y trims to the Chinese market, including a new Model Y L configuration that features a slightly longer wheelbase, as well as additional interior features like extended thigh legrests and captain’s chairs with armrests.
It is unclear whether Tesla will bring a Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive option of the Model Y to the U.S., especially as it has already rolled out four configurations of the all-electric crossover in the market. With the new Standard offerings, Tesla will likely keep its lineup as simple as possible.
However, the company has hinted that there is a slim possibility the Model Y L could come to the U.S. sometime late next year, but CEO Elon Musk said that it is not a guarantee.
Tesla is more concerned with self-driving efforts in the U.S., and despite calls from customers for larger vehicles, it does not seem concerned with making them available, at least not for now.
-
Elon Musk3 days agoTesla teases new AI5 chip that will revolutionize self-driving
-
Elon Musk1 week agoNeuralink’s first patient could receive an upgrade: Elon Musk
-
News1 day agoTesla Cybercab production starts Q2 2026, Elon Musk confirms
-
News1 week agoTesla Cybercab spotted testing on public roads for the first time
-
News11 hours agoTesla Model Y Performance set for new market entrance in Q1
-
Elon Musk2 days agoTesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting: How to watch
-
Cybertruck5 days agoTesla Cybertruck fleet takes over at SpaceX’s Starbase
-
News3 days agoTesla Giga Berlin hits a sustainability milestone that’s so impressive, it sounds fake

