The Mass Market Car Brand Owners Trust Most For Service, According To JD Power

If you're in the market for a new car, there's a good chance you're considering ownership aspects like brand reputation. It's often critical to choose a vehicle company with a good track record for servicing their vehicles so you can avoid headaches in the future, after all. With that said, J.D. Power's 2025 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study revealed that there's one mass-market vehicle brand that customers trusted the most for providing good levels of service.

The research study ranked how consumers evaluated their service experiences at the various dealerships where they took their vehicles for maintenance, repairs, and tires. Researchers focused on both mass-market vehicle brands and luxury brands, and the the winner in the mass-market category was Subaru. The Japanese automaker received an overall customer satisfaction index ranking that beat out major competitors like Mini and Honda, and it also took the top spot in the vehicle-specific rankings for both mass-market cars and for for SUVs and minivans. Buick took fourth place, and Mazda rounded out the top five.

The study uncovered some major issues that bedeviled the dealership service industry nationwide and for all brands. Primary among these was the length of time that customers had to wait for a service appointment, something that has not improved appreciably compared to the previous two years of this study. Another major issue was the gap in satisfaction between dealer service of electrified vehicles, whether EVs or PHEVs, and internal combustion engine vehicles, with owners of mass-market EVs reporting scores 51 points lower than those given to mass-market ICE vehicles. This was attributed to a shortage of properly-trained dealership personnel who can diagnose and fix problems with electrified vehicles.

Other determinations of the J.D. Power CSI study included a finding that 12% of all repairs were not done properly during the initial service appointment. This was largely because either required parts were not available or the repairs made did not resolve the issue that brought the vehicle in. Of these customers, fully half stated that they would not return to the dealership to have the repairs completed. 

The study also found that improved communication with the customer also increased overall service satisfaction, particularly when the dealership service advisor welcomes the customer at the moment they arrive for their appointment. Unfortunately, this was the most neglected communication strategy, only being done for half of all service customers. In another J.D. Power study, the company found that it was Buick, not Subaru, that led customer satisfaction for mass-market car sales. 

Another pressing topic that the J.D. Power CSI study revealed was how the level of trust in dealership personnel changes based on the age and generation of the specific customer. Baby Boomers, defined as those born between 1946 and 1964, placed their dealership trust the highest. This is reduced for Gen X, born between 1965 and 1976, and further still with Gen Y, born between 1977 and 1994. Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2007, had the lowest trust score out of the different age groups. In other words, the younger the consumer, the less trust they have in the dealership service department. 

The Subaru lineup consists of a wide variety of SUVs in ICE, hybrid, and EV configurations, plus a few cars sprinkled in. Its least expensive model is the Subaru Impreza Sport at $27,790; the most expensive, meanwhile, is the top-of-the-line Ascent three-row SUV in the maxed-out Onyx trim, landing at $53,445. In between are the popular Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback two-row SUVs, with the Crosstrek and Forester currently also available as hybrids. The car section of the Subaru line is represented by the Impreza, the WRX, and the BRZ, the only rear-drive car from Subaru. SlashGear's own review of the tS model found was a great vehicle, even with its flaws.

Subaru can also claim to have a diversified range of electric vehicles. Their EVs start with the Subaru Uncharted, arriving during early 2026 at a price of $34,995 MSRP plus shipping. Our review of the Uncharted revealed that it can either be fun or frugal, but you'll have to choose which you want while driving. Also arriving in early 2026 will be the Subaru Trailseeker EV, priced at $39,995 MSRP plus shipping. Currently in stock at Subaru dealers and available for sale is the Subaru Solterra, which starts at $40,420 including shipping and is available in five different trim levels.

If you like the idea of the best possible dealership service experience, then J.D. Power's 2025 CSI study indicates your local Subaru dealer is the best way to get it. Remember all dealers are not created equal, so do your research before deciding which one deserves your business.