Articles from JD Power

The online-only banking market, which consists of both federally chartered online banks and neobanks, which do not have federal bank charters but partner with traditional banks to provide deposit insurance and other critical infrastructure, has become one of the hottest growth categories in the banking industry. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Direct Banking Satisfaction Study,SM released today, online-only banking providers are continuing to win customers from traditional banking institutions and drive high levels of customer satisfaction by establishing strong emotional connections rooted in personalized digital experiences. While the online-only banking marketplace is largely succeeding on personalization, some neobanks are struggling when it comes to high incidence of customer problems and weaker telephone and online chat support when problems occur.

Cost and affordability are playing an increasingly important role in the aftermarket service experience, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Aftermarket Service Index (ASI) Study,SM released today, as customers hold onto their vehicles longer and maintenance needs shift toward more complex repairs. Year-over-year changes in customer satisfaction across the three segments examined in the index are mixed, with improvement in quick oil change (+4 points on a 1,000-point scale) but declines in tire replacement (-3) and full-service maintenance and repair (-7).

The more time health plan members spend with insurers’ mobile apps and websites, the more they come to appreciate the usefulness of digital channels in helping to manage their overall healthcare experience. That key finding in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Healthcare Digital Experience Study,SM released today, highlights both the opportunities and the significant challenges health plans face when it comes to delivering user-friendly digital channels to address the complex and often unique needs of diverse member populations.

JD Power, a leading provider of proprietary data, advanced analytics, deep industry expertise and insights that drive the global auto industry, presented an updated auto industry outlook to kick off the New York International Auto Show, today. The outlook, which maintains the 2026 forecast JD Power presented earlier this year, projects 16.3 million total new-vehicle sales. Delivered as part of the annual Automotive Forum, hosted jointly by NADA, JD Power and the New York International Auto Show, the presentation showcased new data and insights tracking the auto industry’s response to geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility, plus the underlying dynamics driving new vehicle sales.

JD Power:

Prized for their low fees, personalized service and great interest rates, credit unions have historically outperformed retail banks in overall customer satisfaction. While that trend holds in the JD Power 2026 U.S. Credit Union Satisfaction Study,SM released today, some cracks in the credit union member experience are starting to emerge. Overall satisfaction this year with U.S. credit unions is 725 (on a 1,000-point scale). While that score is 68 points higher than the overall satisfaction score for U.S. retail banks (657),1 it represents a 4-point decline from last year. The trend also coincides with an increase in the number of credit union members opening accounts with other financial institutions over the same period.

Like a great marriage, primary banking relationships take work to maintain, and when one partner starts taking the other for granted or fails to show up at key moments of truth, it’s not uncommon for the other to start looking elsewhere for commitment. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study,SM released today, warning signs of a gradual decline in key customer engagement metrics are starting to flash for retail banks, as customers increasingly open deposit accounts with multiple institutions.

Home charging remains the cornerstone of the electric vehicle ownership experience, yet many owners receive limited education on how to optimize it and few are taking steps to lower their costs. With 86% of typical EV1 charging happening at home, understanding options such as the scheduling capabilities of Level 2 charging stations2 and EV incentive programs from electric utilities can play an important role in improving convenience, managing costs and enhancing overall satisfaction with the ownership experience. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Home Charging Study,SM released today, overall satisfaction among owners of Level 1 portable chargers is 569 (on a 1,000-point scale), down 12 points from a year ago, while the overall satisfaction score for use of Level 2 portable chargers is 710, 4 points lower than a year ago. Owner satisfaction with Level 2 permanently mounted home chargers holds steady at 733.

Paint buyers are navigating higher prices with a sharper focus on value, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Paint Satisfaction Study℠. Prices increased across all paint segments—interior paint, exterior paint and exterior stain—with exterior paint experiencing the largest increase, rising an average of $3.22 per gallon. Despite these pressures, satisfaction with value for price paid for exterior paint improves 14 points (on a 1,000-point scale) to 647, as customers increasingly prioritize product performance, features and trusted customer reviews when selecting a paint brand.

JD Power:

Overall satisfaction with original equipment tires among battery electric vehicles (BEVs), internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) continues to converge, with the gap among the three segments narrowing to 14 points on a 1,000-point scale, down from 47 points in 2025, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study,SM released today. This marks the smallest satisfaction gap among the segments since 2023. Overall satisfaction scores are 789 for ICE vehicles, 775 for BEVs and 772 for PHEVs, with PHEVs posting the largest year-over-year gain, improving 29 points from 2025.

As more telecom customers manage their accounts digitally, mobile apps and websites have become the primary way to pay bills, check usage and make service changes. To better capture the digital experience offered by internet service providers and wireless carriers, the JD Power 2026 U.S. Telecom Digital Experience StudySM, released today, evaluates customer perceptions of both mobile apps and websites, including desktop and mobile platforms. Overall customer satisfaction with the telecom digital experience this year is 659 (on a 1,000-point scale) among internet service providers and 654 among wireless carriers.

As digital-native Gen Y1 starts to enter its peak earning years and Gen Z starts to contemplate longer-term savings, client perceptions of what makes a truly stand-out investor experience are shifting. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Investor Satisfaction Study,SM released today, that shift is starting to open the door for newer FinTech brands that are achieving high scores in customer satisfaction from clients for their easy-to-use digital channels. Younger investors are also indicating that they trust these FinTech brands as much as established industry leaders.

Against a backdrop of widespread premium increases, high deductibles and rising out-of-pocket expenses, property insurers in the United States have managed to improve customer satisfaction. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Property Claims Satisfaction Study,SM released today, a combination of faster repair and payment cycle times and enhanced digital capabilities have helped to drive significant improvements in the overall customer experience with the property claims process, offsetting the negative effects of higher prices. Additionally, a decline in large-scale weather events, a relatively calm hurricane season and a reduction in non-catastrophic claims volumes brought some stability to the claims process.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) adoption continues to grow rapidly, with 37% of consumers in the United States making a purchase using this method in the past 90 days, a 5-percentage-point increase in just one year. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Buy Now Pay Later Satisfaction Study,SM released today, as BNPL use matures and providers continue to launch new products, customers are increasingly using it to manage their day-to-day spending.

When it comes to dealer service, customers are looking for an experience that minimizes disruption to their daily lives while simultaneously offering greater value, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study,SM released today. For the most part, dealers are delivering on that promise, with overall satisfaction improving 3 points (on a 1,000-point scale) in this year’s index. Despite that improvement, dealers continue to face considerable competition from aftermarket providers focusing on speed and convenience and from direct-to-consumer brands prioritizing mobile and valet service options.

Life insurance1 and annuity products2 are experiencing rising demand as a combination of market and demographic trends push more financial advisors, insurance brokers and bankers to talk to their clients about the possibility of outliving their savings and the need to protect their families from unexpected events. For the most part, the companies that create and support these products are doing a good job of delivering on key relationship needs for financial professionals, with most receiving high satisfaction marks in the inaugural JD Power Life & Annuity Distribution Partner Experience Study,SM released today. While life insurance and annuity distribution partners perform well on the fundamentals, many still have opportunities to improve the level of user-friendly service they offer to financial professionals.

As the nation’s electric, gas and water utilities continue to be on high alert to the threat of weather-driven outages and service interruptions, many have taken to email, text messages and mobile app alerts to prepare customers and help them navigate potential challenges. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Utility Digital Experience Study,SM released today, some utilities are far more well-equipped than others to deliver those messages. While the top-performing utilities have invested heavily in websites and mobile apps that are easy to navigate and packed with helpful communications tools, many others have lagged on digital adoption, making it more difficult for their customers to understand their bills, report outages and access pricing plan and rebate information.

While the EV market has experienced significant volatility during the past year, owner sentiment has never been stronger. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study,SM released today, overall satisfaction among current battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners is at its highest level since the study’s inception in 2021. Notably, nearly all owners of new BEVs (96%) say they would consider purchasing or leasing another BEV for their next vehicle.

With modern vehicles now running more lines of code than early space missions, owner perceptions of vehicle dependability have become increasingly influenced by technology performance and software glitches. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today, persistent problems with infotainment systems, spotty performance of over-the-air (OTA) software updates, and issues with vehicle exteriors have driven long-term dependability problems to new highs. Compared with 2025 results, vehicle problems after three years of ownership have increased by 2 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), resulting in an industry average of 204 PP100. A lower score indicates higher vehicle quality.

JD Power, a leading provider of proprietary data, advanced analytics, deep industry expertise and insights that drive the global auto industry, presented its exclusive auto industry outlook to kick off the NADA Show 2026, today. The forecast, which projects 16.3 million total new-vehicle sales this year, was part of the annual JD Power Auto Summit, featuring insights from industry leaders, new technology demonstrations and the unveiling of a new brand identity and unified automotive strategy focused on moving the industry forward.