BYD tops customer experience survey

BYD topped the 2026 Philippine automotive customer experience rankings as vehicle owners reported improvements in dealership sales and after-sales service, according to a study by Singapore-based research firm Differential.

The Chinese automaker recorded 900 points in the second annual Philippines Customer eXperience Index (CXI) Study, ahead of Ford with 894 points and Isuzu with 885.

BYD also registered the largest year-on-year improvement among the 11 mass-market brands evaluated, gaining 52 points from its 2025 score of 848.

Its scores increased across all three areas measured by the study, with after-sales service gaining 63 points, sales experience improving by 61 points and product satisfaction rising by 48 points.

The company also received the highest numerical scores in each of the three categories.

Other brands recording notable improvements included Kia, which gained 38 points, Isuzu with 31 points and Ford with 26.

Across the Philippine automotive industry, the overall customer experience index increased eight points to 864 in 2026 from 856 the previous year.

The improvement was driven largely by dealership operations rather than changes in satisfaction with the vehicles themselves.

The industry’s Sales Experience Index climbed 24 points, while the Service Experience Index improved by 21 points. Product satisfaction increased by only two points.

Within the sales category, pre-sales information and consultation gained 33 points, followed by salesperson interaction with 32 points and dealership facilities with 27.

After-sales service also improved, with service quality and personnel and facilities each gaining 25 points. Convenience and accessibility increased by 22 points.

Product satisfaction showed mixed results. Interior design and comfort improved seven points, while safety and security features declined five points. Vehicle sound systems slipped two points.

“The encouraging news is that customer experience is improving across the Philippine automotive industry, particularly where customers interact directly with dealerships,” said Sigfred M. Doloroso, country manager of Differential Singapore.

“As competition intensifies, manufacturers and dealer networks are raising the bar for sales and service. That is good news for Filipino motorists, who stand to benefit from better support before and after buying a vehicle.”

The study also found that Chinese automotive brands recorded the largest improvement among the four country-of-origin groups assessed.

Their combined customer experience score increased 50 points to 889 from 839 in 2025, lifting the group from fourth to second place.

American brands maintained the highest numerical score at 894, although their lead over Chinese manufacturers narrowed from 29 points to five.

Korean brands improved by 24 points, while Japanese manufacturers recorded a three-point increase.

Changes in customer communication were another notable finding.

Although the proportion of buyers using the internet before purchasing a vehicle declined to 83 percent, reported email communication between salespeople and customers increased by 37 percentage points.

Text messaging increased by 12 percentage points, while messaging applications gained nine points.

Dealership service procedures also improved. Vehicle walkaround inspections and service advisers’ familiarity with customers’ service histories each increased by 14 percentage points. Service notifications rose by 12 points.

Differential conducted the study between April and July 2026, surveying 1,200 respondents nationwide who purchased vehicles from January to December 2025 and had them serviced during the same period.

The research assessed customer satisfaction with authorized automotive dealer networks across sales, after-sales service and vehicle ownership.

Doloroso said the findings showed that dealership performance was becoming an increasingly important factor in automotive competition.

“The most important finding is not simply which brand leads the rankings. It is that every brand evaluated in both years improved in sales and service, pointing to a wider industry effort to deliver better customer experiences,” he said.