Ford, Tesla, Jeep, Cadillac and Volvo are the top car makes for customer loyalty while General Motors has been recognized as the manufacturer with the highest retention rates in 2016 in IHS Markit's annual automotive loyalty awards.
The 2016 model year (i.e., new cars sold between October 2015 and September 2016) set a record for customer loyalty in America. For the first time since research and intelligence firm IHS Markit began monitoring US vehicle sales alongside individual marques' consumer retention rates back in 1996, 52.8% of American buyers in the market for a new car have returned to the same company for their latest purchase.
And according to the data, based on sales of 17.5 vehicles, GM is the most successful manufacturer and Ford the best make when it comes to keeping customers coming back for more, over the past 12 months.
"Loyal customers are the foundation of our brands and they are the strongest advocates we have to attract new customers," said Alan Batey, president of GM North America on receiving the award for Overall Loyalty to Manufacturer for the second year in succession.
But as well as celebrating individual automakers' achievements, the research shows the individual vehicles that build the biggest bond with their owners. The aging Mercedes G Class (launched and largely unchanged since 1979) has the highest customer retention in the luxury mid-size SUV market. The Porsche 911 is most likely to keep luxury sportscar customers coming back for more; and the Ford F-Series pickup is the king of the full-size three-quarter to one-ton pickup market in terms of repeat purchases.
Away from individual models, the report identifies three very different consumer types.
Super Loyalists go back to the same manufacturer time after time and, although they're a rare breed of consumer, they will continue to car shop with the same car maker 76% of the time.
Loyalists are those car buyers who have bought the same car or a car from the same company more than once and represent the majority of the US consumer base. Then there are the nomads, who go from one marque to another yet even here, this group will stay loyal 52% of the time, according to IHS.
"Insights from these three populations now help manufacturers be more targeted and efficient with marketing efforts, and more informed when making critical marketing decisions, including incentive spending," said Steve Had, vice president, sales and marketing solutions, IHS Markit.
And for 2016, the make with the most improved super loyalty is Cadillac and the brand with the most improved loyalty levels is Tesla.
As for the cars turning heads, Jeep has this year's highest conquest percentage -- as in it's stealing custom from competitors, while Volvo has the most improved conquest percentage.
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