Great news for the auto dealer service industry. Owner satisfaction with the service experience is up overall in the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. Porsche ranks highest among premium brands for a second straight year, while MINI ranks highest among mass market brands.
J.D. Power's research found that when it comes to dealer service, customers are looking for an experience that minimizes disruption to their daily lives while simultaneously offering greater value. For the most part, J.D. Power says dealers are delivering on that promise. Lead by the premium market, overall satisfaction improves 3 points (on a 1,000-point scale) in this year’s index.
Meanwhile, dealers continue to face considerable competition from two industry areas: aftermarket providers focused on speed and convenience and direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands that prioritize mobile and valet service options. When it comes to the former, J.D. Power says dealer maintenance visits are significantly longer than comparable aftermarket service visits. As for the latter, research shows that satisfaction is significantly lower among customers coming from DTC brands.
Researchers say its critical for dealers to offer a rewarding service experience because higher satisfaction is directly tied to two crucial areas: stronger customer retention and increased revenue. The study found that when overall satisfaction is 950 or higher, 86% of mass market customers say they “definitely will” return to the dealer for paid service, and 88% of premium customers say the same. Higher satisfaction also increases the likelihood customers will purchase another vehicle from the same brand again.
“Progressive dealers never stop working to make service more convenient—a worthy effort given how rapidly the aftermarket can complete routine service. Dealers can also more readily add value, for example, by returning the vehicle cleaner than when it arrived and completing a thorough multi-point inspection with digital documentation. CSI results show those efforts yield higher satisfaction and, in turn, boost retention,” said Stewart Stropp, vice president of customer success at JD Power. “Another opportunity is to more consistently deliver on top key performance indicators (KPIs) like keeping customers informed of service status and explaining the work performed. These elements, among others, meaningfully lift satisfaction.”
Following are some key findings of the 2026 index as shared in a press release:
- Overall satisfaction with dealer service improves, led by premium market: At an industry level, the study found that average overall customer satisfaction score for dealer service is 868, up 3 points from last year. Improvement is notably higher in the premium segment, which rises 8 points to 886. Overall satisfaction with the mass market service experience is up 3 points to 865.
- Maintenance visits are the quickest type of work but still take longer than comparable aftermarket service: Most dealer service visits consist of maintenance work, including services like oil changes and tire rotations, but J.D. Power researchers say these offerings still take approximately three times longer than comparable service at aftermarket facilities. The study found that pn average, mass market customers wait 1.61 hours for maintenance work at the dealer, while premium customers wait 2.46 hours. By comparison, 62% of aftermarket service visits take under an hour for similar work. To retain more customers, J.D. Power says dealers should focus on minimizing completion times while still meeting key service quality expectations.
- Customers coming from DTC brands have high expectations of the dealership service experience: J.D. Power says one challenge traditional dealers face is satisfying customers coming from DTC brands such as Tesla and Rivian, for which non-traditional options like mobile service are routine. For example, among premium segment customers returning to a traditional dealer from a DTC brand, overall service satisfaction is 855, a notable 29 points lower than the mass market average. With the incidence of mobile and valet service remaining low outside of DTC brands, J.D. Power says traditional dealers can prioritize these alternatives to differentiate themselves in the market and elevate value and convenience for their customers.
- More customers want photo/video documentation during service, but not enough are getting it: In the study, almost two-thirds (64%) of customers say they would like to receive photo/video evidence alongside multi-point inspection (MPI) results, but only 26% of mass market customers and 44% of premium customers say they get it. Researchers say to maximize satisfaction, service personnel should make it a routine practice to offer photo/video updates, particularly early in the service process, when CSI findings indicate satisfaction dividends are greatest. Satisfaction with the service advisor is highest in both the premium (928) and mass market (907) segments when photo/video evidence is provided while service is being done.
- Room for improvement with completing top KPIs: Study results found that only 26% of customers say they experienced nine or 10 of the top CSI Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including value-enablers like being met at the vehicle upon arrival and having work completed properly the first time, among others. When all 10 top KPIs are met, average customer satisfaction is 979, but when only three are met, scores plummet to 632. The steady rise in satisfaction with each completed KPI emphasizes it’s not enough to focus on only a few high-impact behaviors. J.D. Power says it's essential to make sure all are completed to optimize satisfaction, as scores among customers who experienced seven or eight KPIs are still 63 points below completing all 10 KPIs.
HIGHEST-RANKING BRANDS AND SEGMENTS
Porsche ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among premium brands for a second consecutive year, with a score of 915. Infiniti (912) ranks second and Lexus (900) ranks third.
MINI ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among mass market brands with a score of 887. Subaru (886) ranks second and Buick (882) ranks third.
Mazda (884) ranks highest in the mass market car segment, followed by Subaru (881) and Chevrolet (873).
Subaru ranks highest among mass market SUVs/minivans with a score of 887. Nissan (885) ranks second and Buick (882) ranks third.
Infiniti and Porsche tie for highest in the premium car segment, each with a score of 921, followed by Lexus (910).
Infiniti ranks highest in the premium SUV segment with a score of 911. Porsche (910) ranks second and Lexus (897) ranks third.
Ford ranks highest in the truck segment with a score of 869. Toyota (864) ranks second and Chevrolet (853) third.
To access the official release and complete visual rank charts, visit J.D. Power here.
Photo: Porsche.
