
Lexus Holds the Top Spot Again
Lexus has once again clinched the coveted title of the best auto brand in terms of reputation, as highlighted in the recent 2025 Widewail Brand Reputation Scorecard. This ranking marks the second consecutive year that Toyota's luxury division has topped the charts, achieving an impressive health score of 97. Following closely behind is Toyota itself with a score of 96, and Honda edging out BMW for third place with both brands receiving a score of 95.
The Power of Customer Reviews
This remarkable achievement is rooted in the insightful analysis of over 8.1 million Google customer reviews collected from 18,000 new car dealerships across the United States in 2023 and 2024. Using advanced artificial intelligence, Widewail analyzed this extensive data to extract customer experience trends that inform the brand rankings. The scores awarded reflect a brand's reputation, utilizing a 100-point scale based on metrics such as review response rates, star ratings, and both lifetime and monthly review volumes.
What Makes Lexus Shine
Lexus not only led the rankings in terms of health score but also excelled in monthly review volume, surpassing its parent brand Toyota, which saw a commendable 26% surge in review volume last year. Additionally, Lexus achieved an average star rating of 4.7, just shy of Porsche's 4.8 average. Notably, Lexus distinguished itself by outperforming industry benchmarks in 10 of the 16 most-reported review categories, particularly in professionalism, which garnered praise in 36% more positive reviews than the industry average.
Brands in the Running
Despite Toyota’s strong performance, which included a mitigation of negative reviews related to customer service issues, it struggled with a higher-than-average mention of waiting times. Meanwhile, Honda's 37% increase in monthly review volume helped it narrowly surpass BMW, which experienced a modest 7% growth. While Honda earned acclaim for helpfulness, its reputation was somewhat tarnished by concerns over pricing compared to its competitors.
Acuity in Customer Engagement
Highlighting the significance of engagement, Widewail's CEO Matt Murray emphasized the crucial role that transparent customer experience data plays in the automotive industry. With a 98% review response rate and lower negative sentiment—only 8% of Lexus reviews were unfavorable—it’s clear that effective responsiveness correlates directly with brand reputation. In fact, Lexus’s strategic focus on customer feedback has allowed them to set an industry benchmark for other brands to aspire to.
A Look at the Broader Landscape
The 2025 Widewail Brand Reputation Scorecard also showed improved standings for brands like Acura, which climbed five spots to 10th place, thanks largely to a remarkable 51% increase in service-related reviews. Conversely, others like MINI faced significant challenges, dropping six spots due to a decline in review volume and facing increasing negative sentiments towards staff interactions.
As competition intensifies, especially in the automotive sector, leveraging reputation management tools becomes critical for dealers and manufacturers alike. Lexus's ongoing success illustrates that prioritizing quality customer interactions can distinctly elevate a brand’s reputation in a crowded marketplace.
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