Dealership service satisfaction improves amid challenges from aftermarket

Despite improvement, dealers continue to face considerable competition from aftermarket providers focusing on speed and convenience

Troy, Mich.—When it comes to dealer service, customers are looking for an experience that minimizes disruption to their daily lives while simultaneously offering greater value, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study.

For the most part, dealers are delivering on that promise, with overall satisfaction improving 3 points (on a 1,000-point scale) in this year’s index. Despite that improvement, dealers continue to face considerable competition from aftermarket providers focusing on speed and convenience and from direct-to-consumer brands prioritizing mobile and valet service options.

Offering a rewarding dealer service experience is critical, as index results indicate higher satisfaction is directly tied to stronger customer retention and increased revenue. When overall satisfaction is 950 or higher, 86% of mass market customers say they “definitely will” return to the dealer for paid service, and 88% of premium customers say the same. Higher satisfaction also increases the likelihood customers will purchase another vehicle from the same brand again.

“Progressive dealers never stop working to make service more convenient — a worthy effort given how rapidly the aftermarket can complete routine service,” said Stewart Stropp, vice president of customer success at JD Power. “Dealers can also more readily add value, for example, by returning the vehicle cleaner than when it arrived and completing a thorough multi-point inspection with digital documentation.

Stropp continued, “CSI results show those efforts yield higher satisfaction and, in turn, boost retention. Another opportunity is to more consistently deliver on top key performance indicators (KPIs) like keeping customers informed of service status and explaining the work performed. These elements, among others, meaningfully lift satisfaction.”

Key findings of the 2026 index

Overall satisfaction with dealer service improves, led by premium market

At an industry level,the average overall customer satisfaction score for dealer service is 868, up 3 points from last year. Improvement is notably higher in the premium segment, which rises 8 points to 886. Overall satisfaction with the mass market service experience is up 3 points to 865.

Maintenance visits are the quickest type of work but
still take longer than comparable aftermarket service

Most dealer service visits consist of maintenance work, including services like oil changes and tire rotations, but these offerings still take approximately three times longer than comparable service at aftermarket facilities.

On average, mass market customers wait 1.61 hours for maintenance work at the dealer, while premium customers wait 2.46 hours. By comparison, 62% of aftermarket service visits take under an hour for similar work. To retain more customers, J.D. Power advises dealers should focus on minimizing completion times while still meeting key service quality expectations.

Customers coming from DTC brands have high
expectations of the dealership service experience

One challenge traditional dealers face is satisfying customers coming from DTC brands such as Tesla and Rivian, for which non-traditional options such as mobile service are routine. For example, among premium segment customers returning to a traditional dealer from a DTC brand, overall service satisfaction is 855, a notable 29 points lower than the mass market average.

With the incidence of mobile and valet service remaining low outside of DTC brands, traditional dealers can prioritize these alternatives to differentiate themselves in the market and elevate value and convenience for their customers.

More customers want photo/video documentation
during service, but not enough are getting it

Almost two-thirds (64%) of customers say they would like to receive photo/video evidence alongside multi-point inspection (MPI) results, but only 26% of mass market customers and 44% of premium customers say they get it.

To maximize satisfaction, J.D. Power advises service personnel should make it a routine practice to offer photo/video updates, particularly early in the service process, when CSI findings indicate satisfaction dividends are greatest. Satisfaction with the service advisor is highest in both the premium (928) and mass market (907) segments when photo/video evidence is provided while service is being done.

Room for improvement with completing top KPIs

Only 26% of customers say they experienced nine or 10 of the top CSI Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including value-enablers like being met at the vehicle upon arrival and having work completed properly the first time, among others.

When all 10 top KPIs are met, average customer satisfaction is 979, but when only three are met, scores plummet to 632. The steady rise in satisfaction with each completed KPI emphasizes it’s not enough to focus on only a few high-impact behaviors. Ensuring all are completed is essential to optimizing satisfaction, as scores among customers who experienced seven or eight KPIs are still 63 points below completing all 10 KPIs.

Highest-Ranking Brands and Segments

Porsche ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among premium brands for a second consecutive year, with a score of 915. Infiniti (912) ranks second and Lexus (900) ranks third.

**PREMIUM BRANDS (based on 1,000-point scale)**
Source: JD Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study

MINI ranks highest in satisfaction with dealer service among mass market brands with a score of 887. Subaru (886) ranks second and Buick (882) ranks third.