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LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Automotive Brand Loyalty
Mid-Year 2025 Study

Vehicle Brand Loyalty Close to Pre-Covid Levels Despite Global Economics—A Mid-Year 2025 Snapshot

A mid-year 2025 report from LexisNexis® Risk Solutions indicates that the new vehicle brand loyalty rate reached 53.3% in the period between January 1st and June 30th, up 1.2 percentage points from 52.1%* at the end of December 2024. The new figure is close to the 2019 pre-Covid levels of 54.3%. 

The LexisNexis Risk Solutions Automotive Brand Loyalty Study maps consumer loyalty to the vehicles they drive. Using our proprietary loyalty methodology (see box), data scientists analyzed U.S. consumer vehicle purchases and garages. The study explores whether owners purchase a vehicle with the same brand or switch to a competitor.

Toyota, buoyed by the fierce brand loyalty of its RAV4 drivers, leads vehicle manufacturers with a 65.4% brand loyalty rate overall, and a 69.4% brand loyalty rate for RAV4. Nine other auto brands marked consumer loyalty scores higher than the mid-year average rate of 53.3%.

On the other hand, some automotive brands saw loyalty ratings going down. Tesla, for example, was in the number one position in 2024 with 60.9% brand loyalty. In the first half of 2025, Tesla has fallen to 7th with a rate of 54.2%. Tesla owners disposing of and replacing their Tesla vehicle with another electric vehicle have historically stayed loyal to Tesla 88% of the time. Those same owners are now only 75% loyal, increasingly choosing competitive electric vehicles from other brands.

Expected Tariffs and Global Disruption of Supply Chain

Higher tariffs in the horizon have added significant strain on U.S. auto manufacturers’ supply chains. The global economy, and the U.S. in particular, relies on automotive parts, semiconductors and vehicles from Canada, Mexico and China. To mitigate the risk of exorbitant vehicle prices at points of purchase and during production, automakers are shifting sourcing and operations to keep production and supply chains going amidst great consumer uncertainty.
 
Geopolitical tensions impact the flow of critical components, including vehicle batteries and raw materials, creating serious vulnerabilities and challenges to automakers. This fragility is apparent in delays and inventory shortages, leading to fluctuations in consumer brand loyalty and an unstable industry. 

Electric Vehicle Adoption

U.S. consumers are transitioning more slowly to electric vehicles than expected. At the same time, automakers are suffering from future unpredictability, plagued by policy changes at the federal level, emissions standards, the rollback of incentives, and governmental regulations. Consumers who remain brand loyal may elect to stay with an internal combustion engine over an EV model made by the same brand. Average transaction prices (ATP) of electric vehicles were at a record high in April 2025 of $59,255, and fell to $57,236 in May 2025, according to Cox Automotive. Considering buyers who may wish to purchase EV models from their favorite brand subsequently may choose an alternative fuel type, automakers increased incentives by 19.4% in May. 

Price Impact on Brand Loyalty

In June 2025, consumers also saw new vehicle prices soar to $48,907, according to Cox Automotive, pushing the ATP to a 1.2% increase year over year. Incentives for new vehicles were 6.9% of the average transaction price. Over the last several months, one popular segment, compact SUVs, saw higher import tariffs, decreased purchase incentives and flat prices, contributing to less affordability and a suggested reduction in brand loyalty and value, Cox reported.

The automotive industry shake-up in the first six months of 2025 creates uncertainty for consumers and OEMs alike. The next months will be challenging, with OEMs having to find new ways to generate sales. LexisNexis Risk Solutions leverages data and analytics in the auto industry to enable automakers to better maximize profitability by simplifying their automotive data ecosystem. If you’re interested in optimizing automotive data to deliver intelligent services, complete the form on this page to learn more about the Automotive Brand Loyalty Study. 

*Restatement of 2024 Year End

Loyalty Methodology

Data gathering by proprietary linking technology and the LexID® unique identifier enables an analysis of U.S. consumers and their vehicle purchases to understand new and used vehicle repurchase and retention behavior. New data pulled from January 1 to June 30, 2025, provides a snapshot of consumers’ preferences for the brand of automobile they drive. 

Data scientists linked vehicle ownership and purchase data to analyze resulting datasets using a loyalty methodology. They indexed purchased vehicles against garaged vehicles, seeking a resulting match that paired vehicles and labeled the relationship to the appropriate model category, brand or OEM loyalty.

To determine a loyalty rating, data in the loyalty methodology indicated the percentage of garages that acquired a vehicle of the same model or brand. A more than 50% loyalty rate proves buyer brand loyalty retention with the same versus a competing brand. 

US Automotive NEw Vehicle Brand Loyalty

figure 1

LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Loyalty Market Reporting, as of June 2025

Tesla Disposer Brand Loyalty

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LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Loyalty Market Reporting, as of June 2025

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