This post was originally published on Wards Auto
As dealers’ reliance on parts and service grows, WardsAuto reports that tire sales are rising as an untapped source of revenue.
But that report comes with a caveat – tire traction and handling are concerns that drive customer dissatisfaction, reports the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study.
The study shows overall satisfaction with original equipment tires fell to 803 points on a 1,000-point scale, a seven-point decline from 2024. That marks the sharpest drop among all measured factors year over year, with tire traction and handling leading the decline.
This trend signals a potential red flag for car dealers: customers who experience even a single issue with traction or handling are significantly less likely to remain loyal to a brand. And, of course, that means loyalty to a dealership can slip. The study shows loyalty drops to just 39% for these customers, compared to 58% for those who report no such problems.
“The overall experience of tire traction and handling during poor weather conditions, such as snow-covered, icy roads and wet roads, is one of the top customer concerns,” says Jason Norton, director of benchmarking at J.D. Power. “If tire performance doesn’t meet customer expectations in these conditions, they will seek an alternative that does.”
Those who want to overlook the conclusion as milder weather sets in should do so with caution. Flooding, heated pavement and various other road conditions can wreak havoc on tires.
The solution? Dealers may want to educate customers about tire performance, especially in regions prone to severe weather. Again, poor tire satisfaction can erode brand trust, which could also influence vehicle repurchase decisions.
Satisfaction tends to dip as tires age, with scores declining from 796 points to 790 after the first two years of ownership.
Segment Winners
Of course, it varies widely depending on the brand, model and other factors. But here’s how J.D. Power ranked various tire brands based on ride, wear, traction/handling and appearance. The data was drawn from a survey of 27,000 owners of 2022 and 2024 model-year vehicles between July and December 2024.
What should dealers stock? Here are the results of J.D. Power’s study:
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Goodyear emerged as the top performer in both the luxury and passenger-car segments, scoring 821 and 815, respectively.
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In the luxury category, Michelin (814) and Pirelli (801) followed, while in the passenger-car space, Yokohama (807) and Michelin (805) rounded out the top three.
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Michelin secured the highest rank in the performance sport segment for the second consecutive year, scoring 818, ahead of Goodyear (809). The segment average was just 793.
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In the truck/utility segment, Hankook led the field with a score of 812, with Michelin (792) and Bridgestone (786) trailing.
What It Means for Dealers
Again, brand, model, cost and other factors go into tire recommendations and purchases. J.D. Power and other industry specialists recommend dealers prioritize conversations about tire quality based on region, price points and other factors.
That conversation should be had during both purchase and delivery. Such conversations can increase satisfaction with both the dealership and the brand, especially in markets with harsh weather.
