Customer loyalty remains the foundation of sustainable automotive retail. Understanding exactly where buyers choose to stay and when they decide to leave gives you the strategic advantage needed to optimize your market access. The 2026 Reynolds Retention and Defection Report provides a comprehensive look at consumer behavior across the nation, highlighting critical shifts in brand performance during 2025.
We see a highly competitive market where the overall brand retention rate nationwide held steady year over year at 43.9%. While this national average mirrors the previous year, the overall stability masks significant movement beneath the surface. Out of 38 tracked vehicle brands, 20 experienced a year-over-year decline in retention. Furthermore, only five brands achieved a nationwide retention rate of more than 50%, a decrease from six brands in both 2023 and 2024.
Mainstream Brands Show Clear Winners
In the mainstream sector, established leaders continue to deliver results. Toyota secured the number one position for brand retention, commanding an impressive 62.6% retention rate. The brand continues to be a leader in customer satisfaction and that has consistently contributed to industry leading customer loyalty. Honda follows as the only other mainstream brand to break the 50% threshold, capturing a 52.2% retention rate.
Despite this, there was also positive momentum from several other mainstream manufacturers. Year-over-year growth for Subaru, and MINI signals that these brands are trending in a positive direction. MINI, in particular, saw the highest mainstream brand increase, jumping 5.1 percentage points.
Meanwhile, eight mainstream brands saw a decrease in their retention figures. Volkswagen experienced a drop of 4.5 percentage points, while Dodge decreased by 3.7 points. Looking at a five-year range, six mainstream brands currently hold retention rates below their 2021 levels. Nearly all the mainstream brands trailing their 2021 performance belong to Stellantis, including Fiat, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram.
Premium Brands Experience Volatility
The luxury and performance segment presents a more fractured landscape. Performance and exotic brands feature prominently at the top of the retention charts. Ferrari stands out as the ultimate retention leader across all categories, achieving a remarkable 74.0% retention rate. Ferrari also represents the only premium brand to increase its retention by more than three percentage points year over year. Porsche similarly maintains a highly loyal following.
However, the broader premium market faces challenges. Twelve premium brands saw a decrease in retention last year, with Lamborghini experiencing a drop of five percentage points or more. When comparing current figures to 2021 data, 11 premium brands sit below their retention levels from five years ago. Brands experiencing significant long-term declines include Alfa Romeo falling 11.2 percentage points, Bentley dropping 9.2 points, and Jaguar decreasing by 6 points.
Amid this volatility, select luxury brands offer a blueprint for consistent growth. BMW and Lincoln stand out as the only premium brands to achieve a steady, uninterrupted increase in retention over the last five years. Land Rover shares a similar success story, maintaining a continuous upward trajectory for the past four years.
Fierce Competition Defines the Truck Segment
The truck market saw intense brand loyalty battles between top brands. In 2025, 75.1% of all truck owners traded their vehicle for another truck of any brand. This marks the highest truck-to-truck trade rate in the past six years, highlighting a dedicated consumer base committed to the utility of these vehicles.
There is a fascinating dynamic surrounding Chevrolet and GMC. Nationwide, Chevrolet and GMC owners became the truck buyers most likely to swap to a new brand, taking that distinction away from Ford. Yet, regional data tells a completely different story. In the Midwest, Chevrolet and GMC owners are the most loyal in the nation. Within this region, 66% of these owners stay in a Chevrolet or GMC truck rather than switching to any other vehicle. When these midwestern owners buy another truck, a massive 82.4% remain fiercely loyal to the Chevrolet or GMC brands.
Other manufacturers also leveraged the truck segment to drive volume. More than 70.7% of all deals involving the purchase of a Toyota truck included the trade-in of a light vehicle, demonstrating strong cross-segment appeal. Meanwhile, Honda enjoyed a robust bounce-back year. Reversing a downward trend that began in 2023, Honda increased its truck-to-truck retention by nearly three percentage points and its overall vehicle retention by nearly two points.
Regional Preferences Shape Market Access
As we already saw with Midwestern Truck owners, geographic differences play a major role in how brands perform. The Midwest region as a whole posted an average retention rate of 44.4%, sitting just above the national average. The West region closely tracked the national baseline at 44%.
In the West, Toyota dominates the landscape with a 63.1% retention rate. Ferrari follows closely in the region at 57.4%, while Honda secures 53.2%. Lexus and Lamborghini also surpass the 50% mark in the Western market, proving that regional tailoring remains essential for capturing market share. By understanding exactly where your brand stands in the retention landscape, you position your business to deliver meaningful connections and drive growth year-round.
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