Customer satisfaction surveys in the automotive world can be a source of joy – or pain – for automakers. This week, Subaru is likely feeling some joy. The latest results of the American Customer Satisfaction Index for the auto industry place the company at the top of the rankings, ahead of Toyota. The latter toppled two places, while two American brands moved up.
The ranking
Behind Subaru sit Mazda and Toyota, followed by Buick, GMC and Honda. Japanese brands thus occupy four of the top six spots.
As for the 16 mass-market U.S. auto brands, Ford and Chevrolet sit in the middle of the pack, while four Stellantis divisions, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and Ram, bring up the rear. The truck division had the biggest drop in standing since last year.
And the luxury brands?
Among luxury automakers, Lexus edged out Mercedes-Benz for first place, followed by Cadillac, Tesla and Acura. BMW brings up the rear, sitting in last place. Note that there were not enough responses for brands like Lincoln, Porsche, and Infiniti to be included in the rankings.
Subaru's consistent focus on reliability and safety has undoubtedly helped it make significant gains, according to the study's report. Subaru sales have grown significantly in recent years, and the brand should maintain its momentum in 2025 and 2026 with redesigned and all-new models on the docket, particularly in the all-electric space with the Trailseeker and Uncharted models coming soon.
An interesting note: consumers are less satisfied with hybrid products, except those with the Lexus badge; the satisfaction index for them is on the rise.
The study's results are based on 9,949 survey responses by owners who were randomly selected and contacted by email between July 2024 and June 2025.