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How well is Subaru doing during the supply chain disruptions causing low inventory of the 2022 Forester, Outback, and Crosstrek models? The J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study released this week shows Subaru ranks in the top ten mainstream brands in delivering a positive customer experience. Subaru had slipped from number five last year, but they are still ahead of its rival brands Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, and Kia.
The study measures satisfaction with the sales experience among new-vehicle buyers and rejecters (those who shop a dealership and purchase elsewhere). The study found that satisfaction with the variety of dealership inventory significantly decreased by 0.55 points (on a 10-point scale) among mass-market shoppers during three months from March through May 2021.
“Despite the lack of inventory, dealerships have overcome what might be thought of as a challenging sales environment for shoppers,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power.
Subaru has experienced a massive hit from the global microchip shortage and has the tightest inventory of new cars of any automaker. While customers find it challenging to find a new Subaru model, the Camden, N.J. automaker stays in the top seven automakers in the 2021 Power study.
Among mainstream (non-luxury) brands, GMC scored number one with a score of 812, followed by Buick (806), Chevrolet (804), Dodge (796), Nissan (795), MINI (794), Subaru (792), Honda (792), Jeep (792), and Ford (790), were the top ten automakers in customer satisfaction. The industry average is 785 points.
Buyer satisfaction scores use six factors, in order of importance; delivery process, dealer personnel, working out the deal, paperwork completion, dealership facility, and dealership website.
During the most challenging year ever for new car shoppers, Subaru dropped one point in customer satisfaction from the previous year. With the inventory shortages and empty car lots, many customers are now ordering a 2022 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek, and other new models in the color and trim level they want from the retailer and waiting for it to arrive from the factory. Subaru is scoring high in customer satisfaction, outscoring rivals Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, and Kia.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Photo credit: Subaru USA
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