Lexus dealers top Brand Scorecard with near-perfect reputation

After an analysis of 8 million Google reviews across 18,000 U.S. dealerships, Lexus tops Widewail's Brand Reputation Scorecard for the second year in a row with a near-perfect score of 97 out of 100.

The report: Widewail's AI-powered system breaks down reviews across 27 distinct topics, tracking how often each is mentioned, the dealer response rate, and the overall customer sentiment. This method offers insights into customer priorities such as inventory availability, staff expertise and professionalism, cleanliness, communication, and wait times.

Why it matters: For dealers, these brand rankings are more than bragging rights—they’re a reflection of what customers value most—and dealers who can consistently deliver on these basics have a clear edge in today’s hyper-competitive market.

The leading standard: Lexus has built a reputation for taking care of the details. Customers praise the brand's professionalism 36% more often than the average, and negative mentions about repair quality are 28% below the industry norm. Even wait times, a common frustration, are less of an issue—negative mentions dropped 12.3% this year, widening Lexus’s lead.

• 97/100 reputation score—the highest in the industry.

• An average of 27 reviews per month per dealership, up 26% YoY.

• A 4.7-star rating across its dealer network.

What’s the secret? Consistency. Lexus dealers also respond to 96% of reviews, tied for the highest in the industry.

Making moves: While Lexus is on top, Toyota (#2) and Honda (#3) are gaining ground. 

• Customers are happy with Toyota's service quality and communication, but wait times are a sticking point—negative mentions are 18% higher than average. Still, review volume jumped 26%, showing Toyota is engaging with customers more effectively than before.

• Honda customers see “helpfulness” as a strength of the brand, but complaints about pricing and costs remain a problem compared to Toyota and Lexus.

Who’s climbing—and who’s falling:

• Acura (#10) jumped five spots, the biggest leap of any brand, thanks to a 52% increase in reviews. Customers are noticing fewer issues with wait times, and mentions of professionalism are above average for the industry.

• Genesis (#29) impressed with a 12% increase in mentions of knowledgeable staff while keeping negativity about staff to just 5% growth—an achievement given the 20% industry-wide increase.

• Volkswagen (#14), on the other hand, fell five spots. With a 22% drop in monthly review volume, the brand lost roughly 31,000 reviews across its network—a blow to its visibility and reputation.

What customers are saying: Widewail’s analysis reveals that the same few topics dominate customer reviews.

• “Wait times” is the most improved area across the industry, with negative mentions down 8.5% YoY. Lexus leads here, but brands like Acura are catching up.

• Positive mentions of “staff professionalism” are up industry-wide, but so are complaints—many brands still struggle to deliver a consistent experience.

• Lexus sets the bar for repair quality, but it’s still a sore spot for many customers.

Bottom line: These are the basics, but they’re what customers remember—and write about. For dealers, the message is simple—-pay attention to what customers are saying. It’s the key to staying ahead in a market where reputation is everything.

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