This Is Considered The Best Major Car Brand In Terms Of Customer Satisfaction

For several years, car buyers in the U.S. have used the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) score to evaluate the general customer satisfaction parameters surrounding car brands in the country. An interesting trend with car focused customer satisfaction indices is that the top spot is usually taken by an Asian carmaker, with some exceptions, while others have lagged behind. This also becomes evident once we look at historical data. 

In 2020, while Honda topped the charts for mass market segment, the subsequent years (2021 and '22) witnessed Subaru and Toyota tied for the top spot. The years 2022-23 saw Toyota retaining the top spot, while Subaru and Toyota were tied for the top spot again in 2024. As for 2025 — the latest year for which ACSI data is available — there is a slight change to the pecking order. Subaru, which has been a consistent player at the top, has yanked the title from Toyota once again. While Toyota retains the 2nd place, it shares the spot with another Japanese brand, Mazda this time around.

Brands participating in the ACSI index are measured on a 0-100 scale, with scores exceeding the mid-70s widely thought to be great. In the 2025 ACSI survey, Subaru managed to hit a score of 85, two points up from its previous score of 83. Mazda and Toyota, are tied for the second place with 82 points each, and also with 82 points each, Honda, Buick, and GMC are jointly ranked third. What is clear from the ACSI Automobile Study 2025 is that Subaru has taken a comfortable lead over its rivals, and is easily thought to be the best car brand in the U.S. in terms of customer satisfaction.

If we move to the pricier, luxury car brands, we see Lexus — another Japanese brand — top the charts. With 87 points, the Toyota-owned subsidiary has leaped ahead of Mercedes-Benz, with which it shared the top spot in 2024. The German brand has to remain content with the second spot, scoring 82 points this time around, up one point from 2024. The third position is shared by Cadillac and Tesla, both notching up 81 points, respectively. Other notable entrants in the top eight include Acura with 78 points, Audi with 77 points, and BMW with 75 points.

In addition to ranking the top customer-friendly car brands, the ACSI Index also reveals other interesting facets of the U.S car market. For example, the 2025 report reveals that while individual scores of top performers have seen a hike, the overall satisfaction levels have slightly dipped. 

ACSI blames this on the rising car prices, leading to customers having to stretch their loans. Another interesting trend observed by ACSI was the fact that owners of traditional gas-powered cars remain fairly satisfied, with numbers similar to those of hybrid owners. EV owners appear to be the most disappointed, which is mostly because of concerns around driving range, charging convenience, and future resale value. 

The findings of the 2025 ACSI Automobile Study are based on 9,949 individual surveys sent to random customers who were contacted via email. While this is a significant number, it is a noticeably smaller figure than the 12,173 people who participated in the 2024 study.