WALTHAM, Mass. -

Consumer reviews of auto dealerships are now being used to rate auto manufacturer’s customer service, in a new report announced by DealerRater this week.  

DealerRater introduced the Consumer Rating Index Report, which the company says recognizes auto manufacturers for top-rated customer service, as expressed through consumer reviews of dealerships posted on DealerRater’s website.

The CRI report includes the calculation of CRI scores for all auto manufacturers based on the average of consumer ratings of dealerships posted to DealerRater.com over the past seven months, the company said, rolled up to the manufacturer/brand level.  

A wide range of CRI scores represent consumers’ feedback on their experiences at the dealership at all levels, whether the interaction was a sales experience that resulted in a purchase or non-purchase, or any parts/service experience regardless of whether it was  manufacturer warrantied or not.

By way of example, DealerRater shared results of its preliminary CRI report, ranked within the Luxury and Mass Market brand categories.

Per that data, Lexus demonstrated the highest CRI in the Luxury category with a 4.775, based on a five-point rating system.

Coming in second was Mercedes-Benz with a 4.757 CRI score, followed by Volvo with a 4.727.

In the Mass Market category, Buick showed the top CRI with a 4.755, followed by Hyundai with a 4.751 CRI score, then Toyota with a 4.719.

“We congratulate Lexus and Buick for achieving top CRI scores for customer satisfaction at their dealerships across the U.S. and look forward to their continued success,” said Chip Grueter, president at DealerRater. 

“Our volume of reviews allows us the opportunity to produce such a valuable report for auto consumers. Whether considering a mass market or luxury car purchase, the CRI report provides consumers a credible and unbiased metric for choosing a dealership that is dedicated to the highest quality customer service,” he said.

DealerRater’s CRI report will be published each quarter; the full report will be released at the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo in January.

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