Car Brands With the Most and Least Loyal Customers

Infiniti is struggling to retain its previous customers and to find new ones. The auto brand sold more than 9,000 fewer vehicles in the first six months of 2019 compared to the same period the year before. Of the six Infiniti models Consumer Reports tested for its 2019 brand report on car brand overall quality, it recommended just two.

After testing by J.D. Power, Mitsubishi tied with several other brands for an industry-low score of 6 out of 10 in mechanical quality, which pertains to engine, transmission, and driving experience. Mitsubishi also received a dismal 49 out of 100 overall score from Consumer Reports, as well as an industry-low 48 out of 100 on its Consumer Reports road test. These poor reviews, and the problems that led to these low scores, may be driving previous Mitsubishi owners to try new car brands.

Mini sales declined significantly in early 2019. Compared to the same period of 2018, Mini sold more than 5,000 fewer cars, a 22% drop. Minis tend to struggle with mechanical issues. J.D. Power reported that for every 100 Mini-produced cars, there were 107 reported issues, 10th worst among the brands ranked.

Despite generally positive reviews, Buick just can’t seem to maintain the sales it once had. Just 28.3% of car buyers who previously had a Buick stayed loyal to the brand over the past year. Some of the sales and loyalty problems may have to do with the fact that the brand is widely seen as a car for older people — not an association younger drivers want. In recent years, Buick has worked hard to change its image, with new designs and marketing campaigns with some success.

Luxury car brand Jaguar is one of just five car brands that could not retain even a quarter of its former drivers. Looking at the car’s reviews, it is easy to see why. Jaguar scored a 5 out of 10 in J.D. Power’s overall quality rating and 44 out of 100 in Consumer Reports’ brand report — both the lowest score of any car brand. Consumer Report declined to recommend any Jaguar models, and for every 100 Jaguars on the road, J.D. Power found 130 problems, the most of any brand considered.

Dodge is one of just four major car brands with a loyalty percentage below 20%. The brand’s reputation may suffer from a string of recent subpar reviews. Besides Chrysler, Dodge received the lowest score from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, 77 out of 100. And after testing five Dodge models, Consumer Reports declined to recommend a single one.

Fiat’s lack of customer loyalty in the U.S. market may be part of a much larger issue with the car brand’s sales overall. Fiat’s sales dropped by nearly 40% in the first six months of 2019 compared to the first half of 2018. Just 16.5% of previous Fiat owners who got a new car in the last year returned to the Italian auto brand. This is perhaps not surprising as Fiat was rated as the least reliable car brand, scoring just a 5 out of 10 in J.D. Power’s dependability rankings.

According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, drivers who get behind the wheel of a Chrysler are less satisfied with their overall customer experience than those who drive another brand from a major car brand. Chrysler’s sales through the first half of 2019 were down more than 27% from the same period in 2018.

Smart, a subsidiary of Daimler, is known for its tiny cars and miniscule sales. Through the first six months of the year, fewer than 500 smart cars have been sold in the U.S. market. Less than 15% of Smart drivers who bought a new car in the last year bought another Smart. Perhaps these drivers saw the writing on the wall. These miniature vehicles never really caught on in the U.S. and will be discontinued after the 2019 model year.

Hyundai drivers are among the most willing to stay with the brand when in the market for a new ride. It is one of just three car brands to receive a 10 out of 10 in overall quality from J.D. Power. Of the 10 models it tested, Consumer Reports recommended seven, one of the highest rates among manufacturers.

Despite generally positive reviews and one of the higher rates of customer loyalty from its drivers, Nissan’s sales are slipping. The Japanese auto brand sold roughly 50,000 fewer vehicles in the first half of 2019 than in the same period in 2018, a drop of 7.7%. This decline in sales is ongoing, as Nissan’s sales dipped by more than 4% in 2018’s first half as compared to the same period of 2017.

Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus has among the most loyal customers and, at least by one metric, the most satisfied. The American Consumer Satisfaction Index gave Lexus an 85, its highest grade among all auto industry brands. Lexus vehicles consistently receive high marks for their dependability and reliability.

Though Chevrolet sales declined by 6.4% in the first half of 2019, it still sold nearly 1 million vehicles during the period and remained one of the biggest auto manufacturers in America. It seems that Chevy has been able to keep its drivers relatively satisfied, as nearly half of all of its drivers who sought a new car in the last year returned to the brand. The features and controls installed in Chevrolet vehicles scored a perfect 10 out of 10 in J.D. Power’s report for both their dependability and overall quality.

Nearly half of all Kia drivers in the market for a new vehicle in the last year got another Kia. The company’s sales are on the upswing, likely due in part to the glowing reviews its vehicles receive. Kia was one of just three auto brands to be awarded a 10 out of 10 overall quality rating from J.D. Power.

More than half of previous Ford drivers who got a new car in the last year either bought or leased another Ford, one of just five auto manufacturers for which that is the case. As one of the oldest American automakers, Ford has considerable brand loyalty, dating all the way back to when more than half of all Americans owned a Model T. Ford remains the most popular automaker in the country, with over 1.1 million vehicles sold in the first half of the year.

Ram is among the fastest-growing car brands in the country. Ram sold 28% more vehicles in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. This is by far the highest sales growth among manufacturers with more than 100,000 sales in the first six months of 2019 and third overall behind smaller brands Tesla and Genesis. Ram sales are bolstered by driver loyalty. More than 56% of previous Ram drivers who got a new vehicle in the last year got another Ram.

Honda is one of just five car companies that has been able to retain most of its drivers who got a new car in the last year. Honda drivers seem to be satisfied with their vehicles, as the company earned one of the highest grades, 83, in the ACSI. Of the 10 Honda vehicles Consumer Reports tested, it recommended eight, good for one of the highest recommendation rates among car brands.

It appears that Toyota’s drivers are satisfied with their purchases, as most of them who sought a new car in the last year are now driving another Toyota. The auto brand was one of just three car companies to earn a 10 out of 10 for dependability from J.D. Power. It was also the top-ranked brand in Consumer Reports’ brand reliability ranking.

No automaker has more loyalty from its drivers than Subaru. Of Subaru drivers who sought to buy or lease a new car in the past year, more than 60% stayed with Subaru. Subarus are consistently well-reviewed vehicles. In its brand report card, Consumer Reports gave the company its highest grade of 81 out of 100 and recommended seven of eight models it tested — the highest share of any car brand.