General buyer satisfaction with the acquisition expertise amongst inside combustion engine (ICE) car patrons has declined for the primary time since 2017 with an industry-wide satisfaction rating of 758 (on a 1,000-point scale), down 3 factors from 2024, based on the J.D. Energy 2025 China Gross sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Examine,SM launched at present. Moreover, premium and mass market manufacturers rating 762 and 757 factors, respectively, declining 5 and a couple of factors yr over yr. The hole between the 2 segments has additional narrowed to five factors in 2025 from 8 factors in 2024.
The examine measures buyer satisfaction with the acquisition expertise amongst new-vehicle patrons and rejectors, outlined as those that critically take into account a model however finally buy one other model.
The examine finds that the web purchasing expertise scores the bottom amongst all elements (780 for premium and 782 for mass market manufacturers). In the meantime, satisfaction amongst rejectors drops. The typical satisfaction rating amongst rejectors has decreased 24 factors, in contrast with a 5-point drop a yr in the past. Amongst rejectors of mass market manufacturers, the decline is 26 factors. In contrast with 2024, the most important declines in satisfaction amongst rejectors are seen within the communication earlier than go to and reception elements (down 23 and 24 factors, respectively, for premium manufacturers and 32 factors every, respectively, for mass market manufacturers).
“Conventional gross sales service fashions are being restructured as car customers acquire extra entry to data on model APPs, automotive media and neighborhood software. All these channels speed up their decision-making processes” stated Ann Xie, normal supervisor of the digital retail consulting follow at J.D. Energy China. “Manufacturers and dealerships must reconstruct a seamless end-to-end service expertise that integrates on-line and offline channels to enhance satisfaction. For instance, by gathering customers’ preferences as they browse autos on-line by way of model apps, predicting their wants, and promptly synchronizing this knowledge with in-store gross sales groups, manufacturers can create a seamless data circulate from on-line inquiries to offline take a look at drives—finally elevating the expertise throughout your complete buy journey. Following in-store take a look at drives, manufacturers can leverage digital instruments like post-test-drive satisfaction check-ins to develop agile service responses primarily based on real-time suggestions knowledge, additional boosting satisfaction with the car-buying course of.”
Following are some key findings of the 2025 examine:
- Extra outlined buy selections and shorter resolution cycles: The car buy course of is accelerating as customers develop into extra knowledgeable. In 2025, 76.4% of customers already had a transparent model/mannequin in thoughts when purchasing, up 7 proportion factors from 2024. Moreover, 52% of patrons reached a purchase order settlement inside per week with the primary dealership they visited, in contrast with solely 40% in 2024.
- Check drives and professionalism of gross sales employees are key elements: The proportion of patrons this yr who say the take a look at drive was the decisive issue has risen 4.6 proportion factors in comparison with 2024. The salesperson’s means to elucidate options and supply skilled insights throughout the take a look at drive turns into extra essential—40% of patrons say the professionalism of the salesperson throughout the take a look at drive had the best influence on their resolution, up 4.5 proportion factors from 2024.
- Extra ICE house owners take into account NEVs however reject earlier than dealership go to: The proportion of ICE car house owners contemplating new power autos (NEVs) has risen to 21.4% this yr from 15.7% in 2024. Nevertheless, 50.2% of them rejected the acquisition earlier than the static in-store viewing section—up from 42.2% in 2024. Notably, causes associated to salespeople and dealerships (e.g., gradual response, poor understanding of wants, lack of obtainable autos) account for a rising proportion of rejection, rising 3.8 proportion factors yr over yr.
Examine Rankings
Land Rover ranks highest amongst premium manufacturers with a rating of 775. Audi (772) ranks second. Porsche (767) ranks third.
GAC HONDA ranks highest amongst mass market manufacturers with a rating of 779. Dongfeng Honda and GAC Toyota rank second in a tie, every with a rating of 776.
Chery ranks highest amongst Chinese language home manufacturers with a rating of 766. Gac Trumpchi (765) ranks second. Changan and Haval rank third in a tie, every with a rating of 760.
The China Gross sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Examine measures gross sales satisfaction amongst new-vehicle patrons and rejectors. Purchaser satisfaction is predicated on seven measures: supply course of (19%); deal (17%); showroom go to (15%); on-line expertise (14%); reception (14%); take a look at drive (11%) and communication earlier than go to (11%). Rejector satisfaction is predicated on six measures: on-line expertise (24%); reception (19%); communication earlier than go to (21%); showroom go to (15%); take a look at drive (11%) and negotiation (10%).(1)
The 2025 examine is predicated on responses from 9,773 car house owners in 81 main cities who bought their new car between July 2024 and March 2025. The examine was fielded from January 2025 by way of Could 2025. The 2025 examine Contains 36 purchaser manufacturers and 74 rejector manufacturers; amongst them, 33 manufacturers achieved adequate samples in each the client and rejector elements.
(1) The weights are offered in rounded type, and the precise calculation is predicated on decimal locations.
SOURCE: J.D. Energy
