Subaru Holds Strong at #3, But Has a Steep Hill to Climb. Scale and Consistency Are The Keys.
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REV #042

Subaru Holds Strong at #3, But Has a Steep Hill to Climb. Scale and Consistency Are The Keys. 

By Jake Hughes

BY JAKE HUGHES

November 20th, 2025

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. 

 

Our latest quarterly research report analyzes 1.45M Google Reviews from 18,000 U.S. dealerships, revealing what customers are saying across the auto industry. Get your copy below:

Report: Q3 Voice of the Customer Report

 

Read online. Subscribe to REV

RANK

    Subaru Holds Strong, But the Top Two Are Pulling Away

      Subaru kept its #3 spot in the Q3 OEM Reputation Rankings, maintaining momentum from its three-spot jump in Q2. 

       

      Its 92/100 Reputation Health Score shows strong customer experience—but review volume is holding the brand back. Lexus and Toyota generate 77% more monthly reviews, and with volume accounting for 25% of ranking weight, Subaru’s position won’t move unless feedback scales.

      REV #042 Table

      Insight: Subaru has the foundation for growth—its health score is strong, and its response rate is solid. Closing the volume gap is the next step to challenging the top two.


      See the full list of OEM Reputation Rankings here.

      EXPLORE

      Subaru’s Emerging Edge: Professionalism the Subaru Way

        In Q3, 15.2% of positive sales reviews mentioned professionalism—nearly three times the rate of negative reviews (5.18%). 


        For Subaru, positive mentions jumped 8.71% QoQ, to appear in 12.98% of positive reviews, putting Subaru in the Top 5 among non-luxury OEMs, ahead of Toyota and Nissan.

        REV #042 Table 2-1

        Absolute mentions still trail Volkswagen and Mazda, but Subaru’s growth is second-fastest among top non-luxury brands, signaling a network-wide advantage in customer experience.


        Subaru has a brand of professionalism that is uniquely Subaru: Non-pushy + streamlined process.


        Subaru staff are respectful, expert, and low-pressure, delivering a consultative, transparent experience. Customers highlight non-pushy interactions (“They made me feel very comfortable and didn’t pressure me at all. Very professional”) and streamlined service (“Professional and friendly. No up-sale on unnecessary items and they follow up on concerns”).


        Professionalism isn’t just what staff do, it’s what they don’t do: no pressure, no unnecessary upsells, just clear guidance. Momentum is strong, but the segment is catching on. To lock in an advantage, Subaru must standardize professionalism across every touchpoint. Consistency will lift rankings and reinforce trust.


        The Q3 Voice of the Customer Report offers a full industry-wide breakdown of professionalism during the sales process. Check it out here.

        VISUALIZE

        Review Volume Trends: Network-Wide Momentum

        Q3 set a record: total review volume hit 1.45M, up 6% from Q2’s 1.37M.

         

        Growth is occurring across the industry—most rooftops have experienced steady increases in monthly reviews. Elite dealers hitting 100+ reviews/month rose from 770 to 828, proving high-volume feedback is scalable.

        REV #042

        McGovern Auto Group streamlined review management across 30+ dealerships, achieving 74% more reviews and a 29% reduction in negative feedback in one year.

         

        Read the full case study to see how.

         

        See you next week - Jake, Marketing @Widewail

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        Explore more Data & Insights. Book at Widewail Demo.

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