The Best Mass-Market SUV Brand For Dealer Service In 2026, According To JD Power
In the recently released JD Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, one mass-market SUV brand topped all others. And even though JD Power combined SUVs and minivans into one category, the brand that came in first place does not sell any minivans. That brand is Subaru, which, with a few exceptions, is a brand mostly made up of SUVs. Subaru also did very well in the 2025 version of the JD Power CSI Study, being selected as the mass market car brand that owners trust most for service.
The JD Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index Study, in which Subaru ranked highest in the mass-market SUVs/minivans category, gave the brand a top-rated score of 887 points out of a possible 1,000. Following Subaru in the JD Power CSI rankings in this category were Nissan in second place with 885 points, and Buick in third with 882 points. Then came Honda with 880 points, Ford with 879 points, GMC with 878 points, Chevrolet with 876 points, Dodge with 872 points, and Mazda with 871 points, which was also the average score in the mass-market SUVs/minivans category. Those brands that fell below the average score, in descending order, were Mitsubishi and Toyota, tied at 870 points; Hyundai, 854 points; Kia, 851 points; Jeep, 850 points; and Volkswagen, last at 846 points.
The JD Power 2026 U.S. CSI Study covered 51,228 survey responses from lessees and registered owners of vehicles between one and three years old. The survey period ran from January through December 2025.
What else should you know about the JD Power U.S. Customer Service Index Study?
As JD Power states on its website, the 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index Study, "...continues to be the auto industry benchmark for measuring customer satisfaction with maintenance and repair service at new-vehicle dealerships, based on survey responses from owners of 1 to 3-year old vehicles." Study subscribers can now receive monthly updates that keep them current with newly supplied data, allowing manufacturers to monitor their dealers' customer service ratings in near-real time. This is just one of the many studies done by JD Power, one of which reveals the most dependable cars you can buy.
A wide variety of vehicle categories are covered in the JD Power CSI study. These include premium brands, mass-market brands, mass-market cars, mass-market SUVs/minivans (the topic of this article), premium cars, premium SUVs, and trucks. In each of these categories, the brands are evaluated using the same criteria.
The study's methodology surveys owners of vehicles that are one to three years old. It asks about their level of customer satisfaction during their latest dealer service episode, which can pertain to either work paid for by the customer or work done under the new car's warranty. Five areas of the customer's experience with the service department are then analyzed. These include the start of the service experience, the pick-up of the vehicle, impressions of the facility where the car was serviced, the quality of the service itself, and perceptions of the service advisor who interfaced with the customer.
What else should you know about the Subaru brand?
Aside from its three non-SUV vehicles, the Impreza hatchback, the WRX sedan, and the BRZ sports coupe, the current Subaru lineup consists primarily of SUVS. These SUVs consist of the three-row Ascent, the Crosstrek, the Crosstrek Hybrid, the Forester, the Forester Hybrid, the Outback, the Solterra EV, the Trailseeker EV, and the Uncharted EV. This model lineup offers consumers four pure ICE SUVs, two hybrid SUVs, and three EV SUVs.
Subaru's pricing range starts with the least expensive model, the 2026 Impreza Sport, at $27,790, including destination and delivery. Our review of the Impreza appreciated it as an affordable hatchback that's sensible and simple. If you are in search of Subaru's cheapest compact SUV, the 2026 Crosstrek Base is priced at $28,415. Next comes the 2026 Forester Base at $31,445, followed by the 2026 Outback Premium at $36,445. At the top of the range sits the leather-clad 2026 Ascent Onyx Edition Touring 7-Passenger, priced from $53,445. Our review of the Subaru Ascent found it to be a pretty well-rounded three-row SUV.
Then there are Subaru's EVs, all of which are SUVs. The range starts with the 2026 Subaru Uncharted Premium FWD, priced from $36,445, continues with the Solterra Premium from $39,945, and tops out with the 2026 Subaru Trailseeker, which will arrive at dealers sometime in early 2026 at an MSRP of $39,995, with destination charges not yet revealed by Subaru at this point.