A new report from Reputation, which deals in reputation experience management, found that consumer review volume is surging year-over-year — up 11 per cent from 2022.
Eighty-four per cent of respondents said reviews are important when selecting a dealership, while 74 per cent said the store needs at least four stars to be considered. Furthermore, the study found that 93 per cent of Gen Z consumers are using reviews to make car buying decisions.
“A car is one of the most significant purchases many consumers make, and a highly emotional one,” said Joe Fuca, CEO of Reputation, in a statement. “People are willing to pay the higher prices we’re seeing today, but expect a premium experience — which means where they buy their car matters now more than ever.”
Fuca continued, noting dealerships can build trust and increase their sales by listening to customer feedback and taking action based on that feedback. “The OEMs, dealer groups and dealerships that focus on consumer feedback to improve their reputation are all top-ranking organizations in this year’s Automotive Report,” he said.
The top five luxury auto brands in the United States are Infiniti, Lexus, BMW, Acura, and Porsche. In non-luxury, it’s Mitsubishi, Subaru, Nissan, Honda, and Volkswagen. And the top five dealerships in the U.S. are Infiniti Of Nashua, Porsche Southpoint, Madison Ford, Hendrick Lexus Charleston, and BMW of Kansas City South.
In Canada, the top five brands on a list that includes 25 brands are BMW (with a reputation score of 707), Lexus (680), Porsche (670), Audi (666), and Genesis (641). Reputation measures the score on a scale of 0 to 1,000 and considers the location, sentiment, visibility, and engagement.
