Lexus vs. Porsche: Which Luxury Car Brand Provides the Best Dealership Customer Service in 2023?
A vehicle owner’s satisfaction doesn’t live and die on speed and power figures. Those skidpad ratings don’t matter when you have to wait weeks to get your car serviced. Lexus and Porsche may sit on different ends of the performance spectrum, but each is comfortably in the luxury car segment. But do higher prices always mean better customer service?
What goes into customer service satisfaction?
There are dozens of factors that influence vehicle ownership experience through dealerships. Hot coffee in the waiting room may be one of them, but there are at least three with priority importance.
For instance, customers don’t want long appointment times, even if dealerships experience parts shortages. While recalls aren’t initiated through manufacturers, they do impact how a customer sees the brand as a whole insofar as overall build quality is concerned. And when those recalls or technical service bulletins roll in, receiving a text is often easier than going through an entire voicemail.
Therefore, customers want service, but only subtly robust support and nothing too invasive. And in 2023, Lexus dominated Porsche and the entire luxury segment.
Lexus beats Porsche in luxury car customer service
According to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, Lexus ranks highest in satisfaction with dealership service among all luxury car brands, with a score of 902 out of 1,000. For a second consecutive year, the brand under Japanese giant Toyota bested Porsche, which scored an 880.
While the CSI includes novel features from dealerships like smartphone app payments, valet services, and other flairs, there are five basic factors of determination. In order of importance, they include:
- Service quality—32%
- Service advisor—19%
- Vehicle pick-up—19%
- Service facility—15%
- Service initiation—15%
Lexus bested Porsche in SUVs, too. The German titan scored 800, compared to Lexus’ 900.
Why does Lexus provide such excellent luxury car customer service?
It’s tough to stand out in the crowded luxury car segment. Most in the lineup have a heritage to build on. Audi has the rally-bred Quattro, BMW the aerospace background, and Porsche the engineering prowess. When Lexus entered the American market with the revered LS 400 in 1989, they had no springboard other than the might of Toyota. But in the years since it has become one of America’s go-to luxury marques, Lexus has built a following on one defining characteristic: service.
As stated in the “Lexus Covenant”:
“Lexus will do it right from the start. Lexus will have the finest dealer network in the industry. Lexus will treat each customer as we would a guest in our home.”
Lexus has never been in your face about what they offer, but they are always there, attentively. But owners may not need service often as Lexus’ Toyota DNA has been proven through exceeding reliability. In 2023, Lexus also took first place in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, with 133 PP100 (problems per 100 vehicles) against an industry average of 186 PP100. Unfortunately, Porsche was far lower, with a 208 PP100.
Porsche is no slouch when their luxury cars fail customer expectations, though. In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers rated Porsche even higher. With their inventive “Porsche At Your Service” Program, dealerships provided contactless home service. Nevertheless, when your Porsche goes into the shop, the dealership doesn’t give you another Porsche, but with Lexus, you usually get a loaner.
