The 5 Best And 5 Worst Dealer Service Departments, Which Side Is Subaru On?

According to Consumer Reports (by subscription), its survey results reveal the best and worst car brands when it comes to customer satisfaction with the dealer service experience. CR says customers prefer independent repair shops rather than going to a dealer. What about Subaru's customers? 

Subaru Bucks The Norm

You can have the best car, but it can ruin your new car experience if the service is lousy. The Japanese automaker is among the five best car brands in terms of satisfaction with the Subaru dealer service experience.

CR says they focused on members' experiences when their cars needed repairs paid for out of pocket instead of free recall repairs and routine maintenance. 

The survey results show the experiences of 10,973 Consumer Reports members with 11,670 repairs at 36 auto repair chains, independent shops analyzed as a group, and dealerships.

Car Brand Matters

CR says the car's age affects someone's likelihood of going to the dealer for service, but it isn't the only one. Brand mattered, too.

Related Story: The 10 Best Mainstream Car Brands In Customer Service - And Where Subaru Ranks 

Respondents found that dealerships, including Subaru, were best for comfort, defined by clean, attractive spaces and the availability of loaner vehicles. However, not all car brands have a good customer experience. Here are the worst.  

The five least likely to go to the dealership for repairs were the owners of the following:

• Chevrolet (43 percent) 
• Hyundai (40 percent) 
• Jeep (39 percent) 
• Chrysler (31 percent) 
• Dodge (29 percent)

The five most likely to visit the dealership for service were the owners of the following:

• Tesla (89 percent) 
• Cadillac (61 percent) 
• Audi (54 percent) 
• Ram (54 percent)
• Subaru (52 percent) 

John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at CR's Auto Test Center, says that when you sell your vehicle, "People take comfort in knowing that the car has been serviced by technicians trained specifically for that type of vehicle." 

What does The 2024 J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index study say about Subaru service departments?

The Best Three By Brand

Buick scores 887, which is the highest customer satisfaction with dealer service among mass-market brands. MINI (884) is second, and Subaru (877) is third.

The Best Three By Car Segment

MINI (877) ranks highest in the mass market car segment, followed by Subaru (874) and Mazda (867).

The Best Three By SUV Segment

Buick ranks highest among mass-market SUVs/minivans, with a score of 887. Mitsubishi (877) and Subaru (877) each rank second in a tie.

The 2024 J.D. Power study is based on responses from 64,781 verified registered owners and lessees of 2021 to 2023 model-year vehicles. J.D. Power says, "We go to great lengths to ensure that survey respondents are true owners of the brand they represent." The study was fielded from August through December 2023.

Related Content: Who Makes the Best Cars? Subaru Is Now The Top Mainstream Brand Winner

Overall, Subaru is doing an excellent job in terms of the Subaru dealer service experience. 

How About You?

Tell us about your Subaru service experience. Let us know in the comments below.

I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News contributing reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand, and I'm an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my latest Subaru stories on the Subaru page. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.