Subaru has knocked Toyota off the top spot in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a closely watched report that measures how happy car buyers really are with their vehicles. The 2025 results, released Tuesday, show that while Asian automakers still dominate, a few U.S. brands are starting to climb the charts.
Subaru Rises to the Top
Subaru now sits at number one among mass-market brands. Customers continue to associate the brand with safety and reliability—two qualities that have helped drive sales in recent years.
New updates are also keeping buyers interested: the redesigned Forester, more powerful engine options for the Crosstrek, and fresh trims for the Ascent and Outback all point to strong momentum heading into 2025.
Mazda and Toyota tied for second place, while Buick, GMC, and Honda rounded out the top six. Buick and GMC’s performance is notable because it shows General Motors is winning back some customer trust in a space long dominated by Japanese brands.
U.S. Brands: Some Progress, Some Struggles
Ford and Chevrolet landed in the middle of the rankings, holding steady but not making big moves. Stellantis, however, took a hard hit. Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and Ram filled the bottom four slots out of 16 brands.
Ram dropped the most compared to last year, signaling growing frustration among owners. Analysts say Stellantis will need to focus on quality if it wants to turn things around.
Lexus Wins Luxury, BMW Falls Behind
Over in the luxury segment, Lexus edged past Mercedes-Benz to claim the top spot. Cadillac, Tesla, and Acura followed, while BMW finished last.
Lexus gained an extra lift from hybrid buyers, who reported a big jump in satisfaction even as overall hybrid ratings slipped. Lincoln, Porsche, and Infiniti weren’t included this year because there weren’t enough survey responses to measure them accurately.
Luxury and Mainstream: Almost Neck and Neck
One surprise in the 2025 study is just how close luxury and mainstream brands have become. The gap on ACSI’s 100-point scale is now just a single point—the narrowest since 2021.
That shift reflects how buyers are rethinking value. With car prices high and loans stretching six years or more, customers care less about showroom polish and more about whether their car still feels worth the money years down the road.
The Big Picture
The 2025 results show how quickly reputations can shift. Subaru’s rise proves that a focus on dependability and smart product updates can pay off. Lexus’ success shows premium buyers still reward brands that get technology—like hybrids—right.
For U.S. automakers, the picture is mixed. Buick and GMC are gaining ground, while Stellantis has some soul-searching to do. And across the board, one lesson stands out: customers aren’t dazzled by names anymore. They want cars that stay solid for the long haul, and they’re not shy about voicing their opinions when that doesn’t happen.
