Customer Satisfaction with Rental Car Companies Affected by Rapidly Rising Costs, J.D. Power Finds

Average Customer-Cited Price-Per-Day Rental Fee Now Nearly $90

Although North American airport-based rental car companies have largely solved the vehicle supply shortage that caused a significant decline in customer satisfaction in 2021, overall customer satisfaction levels have not improved in 2022. According to the J.D. Power 2022 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study,^SM released today, rapidly rising rental fees—which are up 14% this year—are suppressing overall customer satisfaction and driving a steady decline in rental car company brand image.

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J.D. Power 2022 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study (Graphic: Business Wire)

“When it comes to rental cars, price is the biggest factor affecting satisfaction, and the combined effects of inflation and high fuel prices are really pushing customers to their limits—and that could affect brand image,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power. “If rental car companies want to offset the influence of these cost increases on customer satisfaction and their brand loyalty, they are going to have to work hard to deliver outsized value by ramping up service.”

Study Ranking

Enterprise ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction for a second consecutive year, with a score of 865. National (859) ranks second and Alamo (837) ranks third. Overall customer satisfaction for the industry is 829, down from 830 in 2021 and 841 in 2020.

The 2022 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study is based on responses gathered from 8,445 business and leisure travelers who rented a vehicle at an airport location from August 2021 through August 2022. The study was fielded from September 2021 through August 2022.

For more information about the North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, visit

https://www.jdpower.com/resource/north-america-rental-car-satisfaction-study.

See the online press release at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2022141.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

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