The Premium Car Brand Dominating JD Power's Customer Satisfaction Rankings For Dealer Service
For most car owners, taking their car to the dealer for servicing is a necessary trip, but it isn't always a pleasant one. It isn't difficult to find dealership horror stories where car owners have been overcharged or have paid out for unnecessary repair work, but thankfully, those horror stories account for a small minority of overall dealer experiences. Many drivers leave their service appointment satisfied with how things went, and according to J.D. Power's Customer Service Index study, Porsche drivers are particularly likely to be happy with their servicing experience.
The study reports that the premium car brands boast the highest customer satisfaction rankings in multiple segments, dominating the premium rankings overall. Porsche dealers deliver the most consistently satisfactory service in the premium car and premium SUV category, as well as being the highest ranked premium brand across all segments. Marginally behind Porsche in the premium car and premium SUV categories is Lexus, which earns two second place finishes. In the premium car category, BMW takes the third place slot, while Cadillac ranks third for premium SUVs.
For mass market categories, a different brand wipes the floor with the competition. Subaru posted the top score in the mass market cars and mass market SUV/minivan categories, and was also the top-ranked mass market brand overall. Honda, Mini, and Buick also scored very highly in the mass market segment.
Other premium car brands did not fare so well
It's easy to assume that all premium car owners will be treated to a suitably premium servicing experience, but the J.D. Power study suggests that some of those owners can expect to be disappointed. At the very bottom of the premium brand rankings for servicing was Maserati, which scored 823 points.
That's far below the segment average of 878, and a world away from Porsche's chart-topping score of 912. While the Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo might be excellent to drive — in fact, it won our Editor's Choice award in 2024 — owners looking for dealer maintenance might find the experience a lot less enjoyable.
Second from bottom in the overall premium brand rankings was Genesis, which is a relatively new brand compared to many of its rivals. Again, it's a brand that offers a range of compelling cars, like the GV60 electric crossover, but the study reports that the dealership experience is lacking.
Anyone looking for the most hassle-free servicing might want to stay away from electrified vehicles, since J.D. Power reports that owners of battery EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are notably less satisfied overall with their experience than ICE vehicle owners. According to the study, a big reason for that difference is a shortage of technicians who are qualified to work on electrified vehicles.