Many of the world’s leading car makers are failing to give customer experience the attention it deserves, according to KPMG’s newly released 25th Global Automotive Executive Survey.
The survey revealed that only 16% of executives see customer satisfaction as critical to long-term profitability, with most still prioritizing productivity as their main performance driver. The report warns that fragmented digital experiences are weakening consumer engagement at a time when buyers increasingly expect seamless and personalized interactions throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle.
A third of executives admitted that the transition to digital sales has made it harder to build meaningful customer relationships. The challenge is particularly pronounced in the electric vehicle market, where concerns over affordability and gaps in charging infrastructure are slowing adoption.
Despite these obstacles, nearly 60% of respondents said they believe they are ahead of their customer satisfaction targets. KPMG cautioned that such confidence may mask complacency, noting that significant investments in digital transformation and artificial intelligence have not been matched with a deeper understanding of customer expectations.
Findings from KPMG’s Global Customer Experience Excellence report reinforce this gap, showing that brands that excel in customer experience place far greater emphasis on personalization and integrity, areas where automakers often underperform relative to their own perceptions.
“The discrepancy between self-assessment and external perception poses a significant risk,” a KPMG spokesperson said. “In our research, the leading companies rank customer satisfaction as five times more vital to business success than their peers. Automakers are investing heavily in AI, automation, and efficiency, but few are applying the same focus to customer-centric design or strategies, and that could prove a major strategic mistake.”
Nicolas Nowicki, head of automotive, EMA at KPMG, added: “To maintain trust and foster lasting loyalty, automakers must go beyond the sale. In today’s experience-driven market, consumers expect the same level of personalization and convenience from car brands as they do from tech or retail companies. Those that fail to meet these expectations risk becoming irrelevant in the eyes of the next generation of buyers.”
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