America’s drivers are more willing to shop around for a new brand this year than last. Nearly every automaker lost ground in the 2023 edition of J.D. Power’s Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, released today.
Toyota retained the most loyal shoppers among mass-market brands, while Porsche kept the title among luxury automakers. But both lost some ground.
As vehicle availability increased and more choices hit the market for consumers, loyalty among brands as a whole saw a decline this year,” explains Tyson Jominy, vice president of data & analytics at J.D. Power.
Owners are also holding onto their cars longer, which may breed frustration. “Owners were tied down to their vehicles for longer than normal due to ongoing supply chain disruptions,” Jominy explains. Driving older cars, they “were more likely to experience problems with their vehicles” and switch brands when they had the chance.
The study tracks how many buyers trade in a car from the same manufacturer as the car they’re buying.
Toyota took the overall title with a 60% loyalty rate. But that figure is down 2.2% from last year. Honda came in second at 55%.
Subaru won among SUV sellers, with a 61.1% loyalty rate. Toyota followed with 60.5%. But both figures are down from last year when Toyota won with 63.6%, and Subaru took silver with 62.6%.
Ford had the most loyal group of truck owners, with 64.6% trading in an old Ford truck on a new Ford truck. That figure saw a slight increase, coming in at 63.8% last year.
Related – Study Says Ford, Chevy Brand Loyalty is All About Trucks
Porsche won among luxury brands with a 56.8% loyalty rate — down from 57.4% last year. Volvo won among premium SUV manufacturers with a 56.5% score, followed closely by BMW at 56.1%. But neither brand came close to last year when BMW took the crown with 58.6%.
“When vehicles deliver an experience that meets owner expectations, such as by offering superb build quality, owners are likely to reward brands with their loyalty,” Jominy says. But, with supply problems easing, “consumers are looking to get behind the wheel of something different and are no longer remaining as loyal to a brand.”
