Customer Satisfaction Matters
Buying a car is just the start of ownership, but post-purchase satisfaction usually determines whether owners stay loyal to a brand. It covers everything that happens after the purchase – from reliability to dealership experience, and whether owners feel they got their money’s worth.
That’s what the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Automobile Study for 2026 tried to measure. This year, satisfaction dipped slightly as buyers wrestled with sticker shock and wallets that just won’t stretch. Still, a few brands made their way to the top of the rankings by offering what matters most to owners after they drive out of the showroom.
Toyota
Toyota Is America’s Most Satisfying Mainstream Car Brand
Toyota took the crown this year, scoring an 83 and edging up a point from last time. That’s enough to knock Subaru off its perch and leave Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Chevy, Nissan, Volkswagen, Jeep, GMC, and the rest of the usual suspects trailing behind.
So, what’s Toyota’s secret? According to the study, the Japanese automaker’s hybrid play made a huge impact. It gave buyers the choice of gas, plug-in, or full electric, and, as it turns out, people like saving fuel without flipping their whole driving routine upside down.
Subaru slid down to 81, Honda clocked in at 80, and both Hyundai and Kia landed at 79 – though Kia gets a gold star for one of the year’s biggest jumps. Ford settled at 78, Nissan at 77, and Chevy dropped to 75. Ram and Jeep, meanwhile, got solid year-over-year gains.
Not everyone had a good year, though. Buick took the biggest tumble, dropping 16 points to 68. GMC and Chevy also lost ground, with satisfaction scores heading south compared to last year.
| Brand | 2025 Score | 2026 Score | Change |
| Toyota | 82 | 83 | +1 |
| Subaru | 85 | 81 | -4 |
| Honda | 81 | 80 | -1 |
| Hyundai | 80 | 79 | -1 |
| Kia | 77 | 79 | +2 |
| Ford | 78 | 78 | — |
| Mazda | 82 | 78 | -4 |
| Nissan | 78 | 77 | -1 |
| GMC | 81 | 76 | -5 |
| Jeep | 74 | 76 | +2 |
| Volkswagen | 78 | 76 | -2 |
| Chevrolet | 79 | 75 | -4 |
| Ram | 69 | 74 | +5 |
| Dodge | 72 | 72 | — |
| Buick | 81 | 68 | -13 |
| Chrysler | 69 | 67 | -2 |
| Source: American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) Automobile Study 2025 and 2026. | |||
How the Rankings Were Measured
The ACSI study focuses on what real owners have to say, not expert reviews or test drives. For 2026, they compiled 6,699 surveys from drivers across the US, collected over a year ending in June. Random folks, real opinions, and plenty of brands in the mix.
The survey doesn’t just stop at reliability. Owners rated everything from comfort and driving fun to safety, build quality inside and out, tech, fuel economy, warranties, resale value, how the dealer treats you, how complaints get handled, and even how good the car’s app is.
ACSI crunches all those answers into a single score out of 100, so it can stack brands side by side using the same yardstick.
Toyota
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog