The continuous development of car apps has made the software a digital extension of your BMW and MINI. For example, these apps have now become sophisticated enough to allow you to track your carbon footprint. The tool, introduced at the beginning of the year, estimates emissions caused by driving. In addition, the CO₂ emissions caused by the procurement of the materials used to build the vehicle and during assembly are calculated.
But how satisfied are BMW and MINI owners with the dedicated apps? The two brands have the best apps in the industry in terms of user satisfaction, according to a new survey from JD Power. The US OEM ICE App Report 2025 ranks the My BMW app as the top app among luxury brands, ahead of Genesis and Mercedes. MINI leads Kia and Hyundai in the separate ranking of mainstream brands.
JD Power’s study analyzed 32 apps tailored to internal combustion engine vehicles sold in the United States. The research was conducted in September and October this year and involved a survey of more than 2,100 property owners. Participants were asked to provide their opinions on the apps’ usability, features, and overall execution.
Nearly 80% of respondents reported using the app, a modest 2% increase over last year’s results. However, only 27% open the app every time they drive, or at least more than half the time. Although this number is up 3% year-on-year, overall exposure remains quite limited. JD Power also found that owners of mainstream brand vehicles use the app more often than owners of luxury models.
But in both cases, owners are less engaged with the app than EV owners. The main issue reported by users concerns connection issues. The study found that 38% of app users stopped using the app because the app couldn’t connect to the car. Several other issues have also been reported by owners:
- user interface
- slow response time
- inconsistent functionality
- Lack of features
- outdated or incorrect information
- Complexity in managing multiple users
JD Power asked respondents to list the features they use most often, and the results are hardly surprising. The garage door opener came first at 61%, followed by using the smartphone as a car key at 39%. Access to heated and cooled seating functions was close behind at 38%. Rounding out the top five were remote locking/unlocking (34%) and trunk controls (31%).
The overall winner was the My BMW app with 821 out of 1,000 possible points.
Source: JD Power
