Back in 2021, Ford ranked above average on J.D. Power’s U.S. Sales Satisfaction Study, yet dropped dramatically from fourth to 10th compared to its results in 2020 by scoring a 790 out of 1,000 possible points. In the 2022 version of that same study, The Blue Oval moved up to eighth among all mass market brands in a bit of a rebound. Now, the 2023 J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction (SSI) Study has been released, and it shows that FoMoCo dealers wound up slipping somewhat year-over-year.
Ford once again ranked 10th among all mass market brands in the SSI, this time with a score of 794 out of 1,000. That places it behind Buick (824), GMC (821), Chevrolet (812), Mitsubishi (812), Subaru (808), Jeep (805), Dodge (802), Mini (802), and Nissan (799), albeit ahead of Mazda (793), Ram (792), Volkswagen (792), Hyundai (779), Chrysler (773), Toyota (773), Honda (771), and Kia (766).
J.D. Power’s U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study measures satisfaction with the sales experience among new-vehicle buyers and those who shop a dealership and wind up purchasing a vehicle elsewhere. Buyer satisfaction is based on six factors – the delivery process, dealer personnel, working out the deal, paperwork completion, dealership facility, and the dealership website. Meanwhile, rejecter satisfaction is based on five factors – the salesperson, price, facility, variety of inventory, and negotiation. This year’s study is based on the responses of 37,234 buyers who purchased or leased their new vehicle from March through May 2023, and it found that overall, satisfaction increased from 786 to 793 year-over-year.
“The improved level of vehicle inventory and the easing of upward pressure on prices are the driving factors in sending sales satisfaction back in a positive direction,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power. “Vehicle buyers are more satisfied with the inventory choices they now see in dealerships across the country – more than in the past three years. Increased inventory also means fewer buyers are paying more than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for their new vehicle.”
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Comments
It’s no secret that Ford fares poorly compared to GM for a variety of reasons, which become immediately obvious. Ford’s vehicles are in general, overpriced comparatively, not discounted as much, on average and have suffered through years of decontenting.
Doesn’t bode well for the future. If GM struggles after the events of the previous few years, Ford will go belly-up first.
Farley has to go. Ford keeps going downhill.