SANTA MONICA, Calif. -

Finding the right dealership can make or break the car buying experience. So says Edmunds chief executive officer Avi Steinlauf.

“Our latest Five Star Dealer list is a great starting point for shoppers on the hunt for a local dealer that shares our commitment to superior customer service and support, and we’re honored to support their willingness to go above and beyond for their customers,” Steinlauf said in a news release.

Edmunds has announced the winners of its 2019 Edmunds Five Star Dealer Awards, and they include 177 dealers nationwide with top customer satisfaction ratings. The awards are based on sales reviews from Edmunds car shoppers.

An additional 14 of the highest-performing dealerships have earned Edmunds’ Five Star Premier Dealer designation.    

To be eligible, dealers must participate in the Edmunds Dealer Partner program. They also must have received at least 30 sales reviews on Edmunds during calendar year 2018.

Five Star Premier dealers must have received at least 150 sales reviews on Edmunds in 2018. Edmunds Five Star and Edmunds Five Star Premier dealers must have earned an average customer sales review rating of at least 4.5 stars between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 to qualify.

To find the full list of 2019 winners can be seen at the Edmunds Industry Center.

Edmunds Five Star Dealerships are organized by state, so residents can find their state’s local winners more easily. Car shoppers can look up the reviews and ratings for any dealer in their area on Edmunds’ Find a Dealer page. The 2019 Five Star Dealer badge denotes the winning dealerships.