Welcome to the REV. A weekly briefing on what the Auto industry can learn about customer experience from millions of Google reviews. Every Thursday, we Rank, Explore & Visualize automotive reputation & sentiment data.
We've recently released a number of great research pieces for Q2, which I strongly recommend.
Three Categories Where EV Feedback is Substantially More Negative
The gap in negative feedback between EV and ICE customers has grown, especially around knowledge, helpfulness, and deals.
Last year, knowledge and helpfulness were the main trouble spots; EV buyers complained about them ~75% more often than ICE buyers. By Q1 2025, that gap dropped to around 35%, and it looked like the EV experience might be improving.
Q2 reversed that optimism.
Knowledge complaints surged to +82% vs. ICE. EV buyers often say they know more than the sales advisor, a dynamic fueled by the fact that 70–90% are first-time EV buyers. They arrive well-researched, but dealership staff, who still sell mostly gas-powered cars, aren’t always ready with answers.
Helpfulness soared to +98% vs. ICE. Buying an EV involves more stakeholders (utilities, charger installers, tax-credits portals, software activations, etc.), and when no one takes ownership of the hand-offs, customers end up feeling abandoned.
Deals have become a major pain point. A fairly neutral topic in 2024, negative mentions of deals rose +15% in Q1 before surging +87% in Q2. Shoppers describe advertised prices evaporating in-store, fueling a perception of bait-and-switch—especially when compared to Tesla or Rivian’s transparent models.
High expectations are colliding with ICE-era processes. As buyers rush for expiring tax credits, gaps in EV knowledge, helpfulness, and deals threaten dealer reputations. Get the full breakdown in the Q2 VOC Report.
EXPLORE
EV Inventory Feedback is Improving
It’s not all bad news for EVs in Q2.
One bright spot is inventory. In 2024, EV customers mentioned inventory less often in positive reviews than ICE buyers (about 1% lower). But by Q2 2025, that flipped: EV buyers mentioned inventory 28% more often in positive reviews than ICE customers.
The message is clear: availability is improving. Fewer customers are running into allocation issues or long wait times, and more are finding the cars they want on the lot.
The growth of the used EV market is also easing pressure, giving shoppers more options and helping dealerships better meet demand.
For now, inventory looks less like a hurdle and more like a selling point for EV buyers—a welcome shift in an otherwise turbulent experience.
VISUALIZE
EV Feedback in Q2 Points to Staff Experience Gaps, Not Price or Repairs
Curtiss Ryan Honda held a strong in-person reputation but had trouble generating consistent online feedback for their store. Widewail's automated review requests and dedicated review response team helped the dealership boost reviews by 820% in just 90 days.
