Buying a car is one of the most stressful parts about car ownership, and it starts before you even get the keys in your hands.
Eager dealers will move mountains if it means getting buyers in the driver's seats of cars headed out the doors, and will use every trick in the book to do so.
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However, the results of J.D. Power's new study has ranked the best and worst brands when it comes to their dealer experience.
According to J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index study, which measures customer satisfaction with the vehicle purchase process, customers are relatively satisfied with their purchases.
However, they found that top brands that are revered for quality cars do not provide quality sales experience at their respective dealers.
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In what J.D. Power calls the "mass-market" segment, Hyundai HYMLF, Chrysler, Toyota TM, Honda HMC and Kia are amongst the bottom five when it comes to customer satisfaction at the dealerships.
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In the luxury, or "premium" segment, Acura, BMW BMWYY, Lexus, Audi AUDVF and Genesis rank towards the bottom, with Genesis the lowest out of any manufacturer regardless of market segment.
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Alternatively, the study found that the top five "mass-market" brands with the highest customer satisfaction are led primarily by General Motors' brands, as Buick, GMC, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and Subaru make the grade.
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In the posher "premium" side, Porsche leads the race, followed by Nissan-adjacent Infiniti, Stellantis' STLA own Alfa Romeo, Ford's F Lincoln and the Swedish brand Volvo.
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J.D. Power said that in general, the pandemic's effects on the car market have worn off, as new-car inventories grow and prices level off from pandemic-levels, which leads to increased customer satisfaction across the board.
“The improved level of vehicle inventory and the easing of upward pressure on prices are the driving factors in sending sales satisfaction back in a positive direction,” J.D. Power automotive retail vice president Chris Sutton said in a statement. "Vehicle buyers are more satisfied with the inventory choices they now see in dealerships across the country — more than in the past three years. Increased inventory also means fewer buyers are paying more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for their new vehicle."
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