• by Tanya Gazdik , November 7, 2024

Porsche ranks highest among premium brands in customer satisfaction for a second year in a row, according to J.D. Power.

Mini ranks highest in sales satisfaction among mass market brands, according to J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study,  released today. 

Infiniti ranks second and Jaguar ranks third in premium and Buick and Subaru rank second and third in mass market. 

Inventory and pricing drive gains in sales satisfaction, but other areas have modest improvement, according to the study. 

“In 2023, improvements in new-vehicle inventory and pricing moved customer satisfaction in an upward trajectory from the lows of 2022, and that’s apparent again this year,” said Stewart Stropp, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power, in a release. “It marks a return to form. As shoppers see a wider variety of vehicles to choose from, pricing becomes more competitive across the market. But this year’s study shows satisfaction with other parts of the sales experience has not improved nearly as much. Plenty of opportunity remains to optimize the path to purchase.” 

Now in its 39th year, the study measures satisfaction with the sales experience among new-vehicle buyers and rejecters (those who shop a dealership and purchase elsewhere).  

Buyer satisfaction is based on six factors (in order of importance): delivery process; dealer personnel; working out the deal; paperwork completion; dealership facility; and dealership website. Rejecter satisfaction is based on five factors: salesperson; price; facility; variety of inventory; and negotiation. 

The 2024 study is based on responses from 34,596 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle from March through May 2024. The study is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase experience and measures customer satisfaction with the selling dealer (satisfaction among buyers). 

The study also measures satisfaction with brands and dealerships that were shopped but ultimately rejected in favor of the selling dealership (satisfaction among rejecters). The study was fielded from July through September 2024. 

While 57% of buyers say nine or 10 of the top 10 key performance indicators were met during their sales experience, 43% say eight or fewer were met, resulting in substantially different levels of satisfaction. 

When nine or 10 KPIs are met, Buyer Index satisfaction averages 917. When seven or eight KPIs are met, the average drops to 827—fully 90 points lower. Ensuring all KPIs are completed is key to optimal satisfaction. Top KPIs include sales consultants completely understanding customer needs; vehicle condition upon delivery; and personnel effectively using technology. 

Battery electric vehicle  buyers are still less satisfied than internal combustion engine buyers. Buyer Index satisfaction among mass market ICE vehicle buyers is 857 but drops to 822 among mass market BEV buyers—and a similar pattern exists among buyers of premium vehicles. 

Furthermore, both mass market and premium BEV buyers continue to be less satisfied with dealer staff knowledge and expertise. Tesla buyers, in particular, have markedly lower satisfaction with the effectiveness of the vehicle features explanation.