- Porsche scored 915 on a 1,000-point dealer satisfaction scale.
- Mini led mass-market brands, edging Subaru and Buick.
- Direct-sales brands like Tesla and Rivian still trail rivals.
Shopping at the premium end of the car market usually comes with certain expectations. Buyers are paying for more than leather, power, and polished engineering. They also expect a dealership experience that feels just as refined as the vehicle itself. Porsche owners, it seems, are largely getting that.
According to J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, Porsche leads the industry in dealership service satisfaction. The brand posted a score of 915 on the study’s 1,000-point scale, comfortably ahead of the overall industry average of 868. That benchmark rose three points compared with the previous year. Within the premium brand rankings, Infiniti secured second place with a score of 912, while Lexus followed in third at 900.
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The mass-market field produced a different order. Mini finished first with a score of 887, narrowly ahead of Subaru at 886 and Buick at 882. Mazda also placed near the top with 884, while Chevrolet recorded a score of 873.
The study’s findings were based on responses from 51,228 registered car owners and lessees of 1- to 3-year-old vehicles. The survey was conducted between January and December 2025.
Porsche And Infiniti Perform The Best
In the premium car category, the top spot ended in a dead heat. Porsche and Infiniti both posted scores of 921, leaving them level at the front of the segment. The premium SUV rankings were slightly different. Infiniti led that category with 911, narrowly ahead of Porsche at 910, while Lexus followed with 897.
The truck segment produced a different winner. Ford finished first with a score of 869, with Toyota close behind at 864 and Chevrolet placing third at 853.
J.D. Power’s study found that most dealer visits involve maintenance and simple services, such as oil changes and tire rotations. While dealer service can be good, they often take three times as long to perform the same job as independent facilities.
Mass-market customers spend an average of 1.61 hours at the dealer for routine maintenance. Premium-brand owners wait even longer, with visits stretching to roughly 2.46 hours. According to the study, reducing those wait times could play a key role in keeping more customers returning to dealership service departments.
Customers Want Visual Proof
Many car owners also want service centers to provide photo and video documentation alongside multi-point inspection results. According to the study, 64% of customers say they would like this kind of visual evidence during service, yet only 26% of mass-market customers and 44% of premium customers report receiving it. Satisfaction levels also improve when these updates are provided, particularly early in the servicing process.
Tesla And Rivian Service Gap
Companies like Tesla and Rivian also have improvements to make. Both brands sell vehicles directly to consumers and don’t have the same dealership service networks as most other legacy companies, meaning mobile service options are more common. While the industry average was 868, service satisfaction among direct-to-consumer brands was notably lower at 855.
JD Power notes that customers who report very high satisfaction scores of 950 or above are far more likely to return for paid service and to purchase another vehicle from the same brand.
