Tariffs Accelerate Buying Decisions While Transparency Drives Sales Satisfaction, J.D. Power Finds

Porsche Ranks Highest among Premium Brands for Third Consecutive Year; Buick Ranks Highest among Mass Market Brands

TROY, Mich., November 06, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–More than one-third (36%) of buyers in the new-vehicle market say tariffs impacted their vehicle purchase process, with most of them buying sooner than they had planned, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study,SM released today. Despite the market shifts, overall customer satisfaction with the vehicle purchase experience increases by 1 point this year to 802 (on a 1,000-point scale).

“Satisfaction among buyers has been gradually improving over the years, including a modest increase in 2025 despite the added uncertainties that tariffs bring,” said Stewart Stropp, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “However, even in a challenging market, the fundamentals of satisfaction haven’t changed. Dealers who stay transparent during the deal, take time to educate buyers on their vehicle’s features, and maintain that connection after delivery are the ones poised to boost buyer satisfaction, ultimately leading to better customer retention and business growth.”

Following are some key findings of the 2025 study:

Nearly one-fourth of buyers want a follow-up on their vehicle’s features but it never comes: While most buyers want to learn about all of their vehicle’s features upon delivery, nearly one-fourth (22%) indicate they would like a follow-up explanation of vehicle features and controls from the dealership a few weeks later, either through a phone call, dealership visit or online video/tutorials. However, more than half (53%) of these buyers never receive any such follow-up, presenting a key opportunity for dealers to improve the vehicle delivery process and boost future service retention and loyalty.

Justifying trade-in values drives higher satisfaction: Trade-in transactions have been steadily increasing since the decline in lease volume that began several years ago. Among buyers who traded in a vehicle, 28% say their trade-in value was less than expected. However, when the dealer provides a clear explanation justifying the trade-in value, customer satisfaction is notably higher, even among those buyers who say the trade-in value didn’t meet their expectations. In such instances, overall satisfaction with the deal-making process averages a score of 800 when justification was provided but plummets to 672 when it wasn’t, highlighting the importance of transparency in the trade-in process.

Import brand buyers are more likely to say tariffs accelerated their purchase plans: Buyers of brands from Japan and Europe more likely advanced their vehicle purchase in response to tariffs. Overall, among customers who say tariffs impacted their purchase, 87% in both the premium and mass market segments say they bought their vehicle sooner than intended. Furthermore, nearly 15% of buyers in both segments say they spent more than originally intended for their new vehicle.