Articles from JD Power

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.

JD Power:

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.