Subaru Tops J.D. Power Poll of Auto Brand Loyalty

Subaru has ranked highest in brand loyalty among all major automotive makes offered in the U.S., according to a new J.D. Power study.

Power’s inaugural U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study ranks marques according to a percentage that indicates the ratio of a brand’s overall sales that were made to buyers whose previous vehicle came from the same brand.

Subaru retained 61.5% of its owners to capture the top rating. The brand and six others (Toyota, Honda, Ram, Ford, Kia and Chevrolet) all outscored the 13 luxury brands analyzed in the study. Power says economics and differences in buying motivation help explain that result.

The top luxury makes in the inaugural study are Lexus (47.6% loyalty), Mercedes-Benz (44.2%), BMW (43.6%), Porsche (43.5%) and Audi (43.3%). Tesla was not included in this year’s analysis.

The lowest-scoring brands are Smart (14.3%), Chrysler (14.4%), Fiat (16.5%), Dodge 16.8% and Jaguar (20.6%).

Power says foreign brands as a group garner greater brand loyalty than traditional U.S. brands. This year’s study analyzed sales data between June 2018 and May 2019 and included all model years traded in.