When buying a new car, we all want something different. If you have a large family, you’ll probably need lots of space, clever storage solutions and plenty of entertainment options to keep everyone happy during long drives. However, if you work in the city and commute during rush hours, you’ll be more likely to be interested in the economy and compact size. Gearheads shopping for a weekend car, though, are more likely to appreciate the engaging driving experience, precise handling and fruity soundtrack that accompanies the ride.
So while there are some attributes we all want, it’s hard to pinpoint one thing that all car buyers want. One is reliability; no one wants their car to break down, so it’s important to know the most reliable automakers when buying a new car in 2026. Another valuable attribute is customer satisfaction. No matter which of the above camps you fall into, customer satisfaction is important because it essentially depends on whether you actually enjoy the buying process. No one wants to spend around $50,000 and walk away feeling completely satisfied.
That’s why J.D. Power’s Sales Satisfaction Study is so interesting, as it highlights exactly which automakers are delivering satisfaction to their customers. If they rank high, it’s a safe bet that buyers will feel like they got the deal they wanted, the sale was handled smoothly, and they’ll buy from the automaker again in the future. JD Power determines each automaker’s performance by rating it in six categories, ranked in order of importance: delivery process, dealer personnel, working out the deal, paperwork completion, dealer facilities and dealer website. Buick tops JD Power’s ranking of mass-market cars, while Porsche tops the premium brands.
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JD Power says Buick buyers are most satisfied
Front quarter shot of white Buick Enclave – Buick
JD Power breaks its findings into two categories: high-end market and mass market. Premium automakers tend to rank higher, so there’s a separation, which seems fair to us. Buyers of premium cars may have higher expectations for the buying experience due to increased costs, but that doesn’t mean mass-market brands can’t do the same.
Buick topped the list with an impressive score of 827 out of 1,000 points – a score based on the qualities mentioned above. The industry average score for mass-market brands is 798, with Buick’s Subaru brand scoring nearly 823. For reference, the industry average score for premium brands is 824, so Buick is currently delivering what JD Power might consider a premium buying experience. At the bottom of the rankings are Kia, Toyota and Chrysler.
Buick’s current product lineup is fairly small and streamlined. By 2026, every option is an SUV or crossover, and while there are only four models — the Envista, Encore GX, Envision and the range-topping Enclave we drove last year — the automaker does a good job of catering to different budgets. The Envista and Encore GX have base prices around $30,000, while the Envision is a smart mid-range model priced at just over $50,000, and the Enclave is slightly more expensive, starting at exactly $60,000 (not including dealer and destination charges).
If you have deep pockets and want a truly special buying experience, head to Porsche. The German brand topped the premium product rankings with a score of 855, significantly higher than any other brand ranked by JD Power this year.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
