Automotive brand loyalty rates slipped during the first half of 2025 following a rebound last year, according to S&P Global Mobility’s analysis of new vehicle registration data through June.
In a news release, they said the industry’s brand loyalty rate through June was
51.1 per cent, which is 1.4 percentage points less than the same period in 2024. They said the decline marks a reversal from last year’s year-over-year gain, and highlights continued volatility in loyalty trends in a post-pandemic world.
“The loyalty rate shift this year reflects the balance between a steady return-to-market volume and strong competition among brands,” said Vince Palomarez, Associate Director of Loyalty Product Management at S&P Global Mobility, in a statement.
Palomarez added that households are returning to market, but many are “open to cross-shopping in ways we didn’t see during the height of pre-pandemic loyalty.”
S&P Global Mobility’s data shows both mainstream and luxury brands contributed to the decline: more than half of the brands tracked by the company
saw YoY loyalty declines of one percentage point or more. “Competition from conquests and evolving inventory dynamics reshaped consumer decision-making resulting in a higher rate of defections,” said S&P Global Mobility.
However, they also noted that conquest volume was up in the first half of 2025, with activity rising 7.6 per cent for mainstream brands and 6.2 per cent for luxury brands. This is compared with the same period in 2024.
“Conquest opportunities are rebounding, particularly for luxury,” said Tom Libby, Loyalty Solutions and Industry Analysis Associate Director at S&P Global Mobility, in a statement. “As loyalty softened, brands that executed competitive conquest strategies were able to capture households more effectively.”
Some of the mid-year highlights include: General Motors leading multi-brand OEMs with a loyalty rate of 68.1 per cent. Ford topped all brands at 58.9 per cent loyalty. MINI currently leads the industry in loyalty growth after improving its loyalty rate by +4.6 percentage points YoY. And the Chevrolet Equinox is marked as the model loyalty leader at 42.7 per cent.
