Lexus and Hyundai remain the highest ranked automotive manufacturers based on consumer-written dealership reviews, according to a mid-year update of the 2015 DealerRater Consumer Rating Index (CRI) for Auto Manufacturers.
The DealerRater CRI is calculated by averaging consumer ratings of individual dealerships posted on the company’s website. The index is released annually in April at the New York International Auto Show, with a mid-year update for the following year’s index calculated in October.
The mid-year update of the 2015 CRI is based on nearly 352,000 verified reviews submitted from September 2013-2014 (up from 330,000 reviews used for the 2014 CRI), with ratings based on consumer feedback across all levels of the buying experience, including customer service, quality of work, friendliness, price and overall experience.
Automotive manufacturers within the “Luxury” and “Mass Market” brand categories are ranked separately in the CRI. In the “Luxury” category, Lexus currently remains the highest ranked OEM with a score of 4.808 (up from 4.741 in April 2014), followed by Mercedes-Benz (4.770), Audi (4.769), Porsche (4.760) and Acura (4.750). Among “Mass Market” brands, Hyundai continues to be the top ranked OEM with a score of 4.762 (up from 4.712 in April 2014), followed by Honda (4.744), Subaru (4.743), Kia (4.727) and Ford (4.726).
“Overall, CRI scores have increased since we introduced the index this past spring, which means dealers are working to improve the shopping experience for their customers,” said Gary Tucker, CEO of DealerRater. “Our main goal in collecting consumer reviews and sharing these ratings is to help build trust between dealerships and car shoppers, so the fact that manufacturers and their dealers are listening to their customers’ feedback is very encouraging. Providing an exceptional buying experience is the key first step for dealers to forge long-lasting relationships with their customers.”
For consideration in the mid-year update, “Mass Market” OEMs must have received 1,000 reviews and “Luxury” OEMs must have received 500 reviews during the time period of September 2013-2014. Based on a five-point scale, the rankings are determined by numerical averages of all reviews that are attributed to a specific OEM. To view the full mid-year rankings of the 2015 DealerRater CRI, please visit www.dealerrater.com/company/reports/cri-oct14.pdf.
About DealerRater
DealerRater was founded in 2002 as the first car dealer review website worldwide. DealerRater is the world’s #1 online resource for anyone seeking trusted third-party information on automobile dealerships. DealerRater features nearly 41,000 U.S. and Canadian car dealers, more than 1.6 million consumer reviews and over 1 million cars for sale. DealerRater attracts more than 10 million consumers every year who visit the site to search for car dealerships, read reviews, write their own descriptive reviews, and find car deals – all for free.
In addition, DealerRater offers qualified car dealers a Certified Dealer Program as a reputation management tool to help them grow their online presence and achieve higher SEO rankings across the Web. Today, more than 5,200 dealers are members of the award-winning DealerRater® Certified Dealer Program. DealerRater is proud to have earned the #137 position on the 2012 Inc. 500 list, an exclusive ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. And with a recent equity investment from Great Hill Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm focused on growth companies, DealerRater is well poised to continue its global expansion, accelerate product innovation and evaluate strategic acquisition opportunities. DealerRater was also recently awarded a Technology Leadership Award from Dealer Marketing Magazine and another “Top Rated” Reputation Management award in the fourth annual DrivingSales Dealer Satisfaction Awards. For more information, visit www.DealerRater.com or call 800-266-9455.
