Automotive Brand Loyalty Rates Decline in First Half of 2025, According to S&P Global Mobility

Automotive brand loyalty rates declined slightly in the first half of 2025, with the industry's loyalty rate falling to 51.1%, down 1.4 percentage points from the same period in 2024. Mainstream and luxury brands contributed to the decline, with over half of all brands experiencing year-over-year loyalty declines of one percentage point or more. Conquest volume rose in the first half of 2025, particularly for luxury brands. The number of households returning to market rose 4.2% year-over-year, creating more opportunities for defections.

In the first half of 2025, the automotive industry experienced a slight decline in brand loyalty rates, according to a new analysis by S&P Global Mobility. The industry's loyalty rate through June stood at 51.1%, down 1.4 percentage points (PPs) from the same period in 2024 [2].

Both mainstream and luxury brands contributed to the decline, with over half of all brands tracked experiencing year-over-year loyalty declines of one percentage point or more. This shift reflects a balance between a steady return-to-market volume and strong competition among brands. Households are returning to the market but are increasingly open to cross-shopping, indicating a higher rate of defections [2].

Conquest volume rose in the first half of 2025, particularly for luxury brands. Conquest activity increased by 7.6% among mainstream brands and 6.2% among luxury brands compared to the same period in 2024. Brands that executed competitive conquest strategies were able to capture households more effectively [2].

The number of households returning to market rose 4.2% year-over-year, representing the third consecutive year of improvement. While this growth provided a larger base of potential loyalists, it also created more opportunities for defections as brands competed aggressively for returning customers [2].

Notable mid-year highlights include General Motors leading all multi-brand manufacturers with a loyalty rate of 68.1%, Ford topping all brands at 58.9% loyalty, and Mini currently leading the industry in loyalty growth, improving its loyalty rate by +4.6 PPs year over year. The Chevrolet Equinox ranked as the model loyalty leader at 42.7% [2].

S&P Global Mobility experts will share more detail on the mid-year analysis during their next Loyalty webinar on September 4 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Register here to attend. A replay will be available to those who register [2].

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-brand-loyalty-drops-low-004500505.html
[2] https://www.marketscreener.com/news/automotive-brand-loyalty-rates-show-mixed-results-according-to-s-p-global-mobility-ce7c50dfd18df324