Mini and BMW top brand loyalty list, reports JudgeService

Mini and BMW have the most loyal customers of any car brands on sale in the UK, according to consumer research by JudgeService.

For the second year in a row Mini was rated number one in JudgeService’s Top 10 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for in-market brand loyalty.

The annual study identifies the preferences of over 28,800 car buyers who made an initial enquiry with a franchised dealer, ended up purchasing from another one but stuck with their initial choice of marque.

Nearly two-thirds of Mini customers (64%) stayed with the brand after purchasing elsewhere, up from 57% in 2023.

BMW was just behind in second place, up from third last year, having significantly improved its score from 53% to 63%.

The rankings reveal the strength of brand equity of many premium marques, along with some notable strong performances by mainstream players.

Although Land Rover slipped from two to three, it improved its score from 54% to 56% and shared its position with Mercedes-Benz who moved up from fourth.

Audi leapt from nine to five (54%), Volkswagen remained at number six (49%), Jaguar dropped from five to seven (48%), Toyota entered the Top 10 at eight (45%), Volvo debuted at nine (44%) and Ford retained the number 10 slot (43%).

Brands dropping out of the top 10 were Skoda, slipping from seven to 11 and Cupra falling from eight to 18.

“Our research highlights the power of aspirational premium marques in driving brand loyalty, as demonstrated by the strong performance of Mini and BMW,” said Neil Addley, managing director of JudgeService.

 “Although the top 10 was dominated by the premium German marques, the strong performance of Toyota and Ford demonstrates how mainstream players can also engender brand loyalty through delivering desirable products and promoting customer loyalty through their dealer networks.

"Proof that brands viewed as more traditional volume players can still build lasting relationships with customers.”

Addley said the research highlights the importance of retaining customers by understanding what they want and having robust processes in place to capture and manage all leads.

Not doing so risks losing prospective customers to another territory representing the same brand.

He added: “With many new entrant brands heading for the UK, or already on sale, OEMs and dealers will need to work even harder than ever to nurture leads and win customer loyalty.”

2024 JudgeService Top 10 OEMs for In-Market Brand Loyalty

Source: JudgeService