New-car prices climbed near $50,000 and policy headwinds piled up, yet U.S. shoppers stayed loyal to proven brands at higher rates, J.D. Power found.
Americans kept returning to the same nameplates even as the average new-vehicle transaction price hit roughly $50,000 in August 2026. Autoblog reported the results of the 2026 J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, which tracks whether a customer bought another vehicle from the same brand.
Four of the five segment winners cleared 60 percent loyalty. The overall average across all segments rose to 50.2 percent, up from 49 percent the year before.
That increase came after a stretch filled with cost pressure. The study window ran from September 2025 through August 2026 and covered trade-ins of vehicles from all model years toward new purchases at franchised dealerships.
Ford led truck brands for a fifth straight year at 66.2 percent loyalty. Toyota followed in trucks at 62.2 percent.
Toyota also sat first among mass-market cars for a fifth consecutive year, at 64.8 percent. Honda came next at 57.5 percent.
In mass-market SUVs, Toyota edged ahead at 63.8 percent. Honda, which led that segment the prior year, finished at 63 percent.
On the premium side, Porsche topped cars for a fifth year running with a 61.3 percent loyalty rate. BMW placed second at 49.3 percent.
Lexus led premium SUVs for a third straight year at 59.2 percent. BMW was second there at 56.4 percent.
J.D. Power flagged several headwinds that could have hurt loyalty: the end of the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles, import tariffs, and higher gas prices.
The firm argued that automakers largely absorbed the added tariff costs, so the feared hit to brand loyalty never showed up in the numbers. Results pointed to customers staying put despite affordability strain.
Toyota’s broad lineup got a specific nod as a retention tool. A Grand Highlander owner, for example, could still move to a Corolla and remain inside the brand.
In plain terms, loyalty here means the next purchase stayed with the same maker. The data came from real dealership transactions, not surveys of intention.
An overall loyalty rate of 50.2 percent also means nearly half of buyers switched brands. The winners still pulled far above that line, and most of them cleared 60 percent.
Ford’s truck hold, Toyota’s mass-market grip, and Porsche’s premium-car streak all stretched to five years. Lexus made it three in a row in premium SUVs. Those are not one-off blips.
Shoppers faced sticker shock near the $50,000 mark and a messy policy backdrop. They still rewarded the brands that kept them in the fold with product range and familiar iron.
When prices climb and Washington revises the incentives, buyers who can still choose tend to stick with what has already worked for them.