Click here to download a PDF of the slides.

To build an auto brand and dealership, one must target current brand owners as well as those who drive the competition. According to JD Power, the Toyota brand has significant customer loyalty.

The J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, now in its seventh year, uses data from the Power Information Network^® (PIN) to calculate whether an owner purchased the same brand after trading in an existing vehicle on a new vehicle. Customer loyalty is based on the percentage of vehicle owners who choose the same brand when trading in or purchasing their next vehicle. Only sales at new-vehicle franchise dealers qualify.

The JD Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Brand Loyalty Study^SM reveals:

• Toyota ranks highest among mass market car brands for a fourth consecutive year, with a 62% loyalty rate. 6 out of 10 Toyota car customers returning to the market purchase the Toyota brand again.
• Toyota ranks second highest among truck brands with a 61.2% loyalty rate. 6 out of 10 Toyota truck customers returning to the market purchase the Toyota truck brand again.

Given these loyalty levels, it’s crucial for Toyota Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Toyota owners. Just released data from Edison’s “Share of Ear,” the gold standard audio time use study, reveals the most listened to audio platforms among Toyota drivers and competitive brands.

Edison Research’s quarterly “Share of Ear” study is the authoritative examination of time spent with audio in America

Over the last eleven years, Edison Research has surveyed 4,000 Americans annually to measure daily reach and time spent for all forms of audio. These findings are from the just released Q1 2026 report.

“Share of Ear” captures audio use among auto brands’ drivers. Edison asks respondents, “What is the model year and brand of your primary car or truck – that is, the one vehicle you spend the most time driving or riding as a passenger?”

In the car, Toyota drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with an astounding 84% audience share

Toyota drivers devote an astonishing 84% of all their in-car ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio. 

AM/FM radio is the exclusive way to reach Toyota drivers during their commute and while they’re running errands. U.S. government studies report most commutes are a solo affair. In-car, Toyota drivers cannot be reached by social media, online video, or any digital platform.

What are the audio habits of Toyota drivers in all locations (home, work, vehicle, and some other place)?

In all locations, Toyota drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with a massive 64% ad-supported share

Edison examined audience shares among Toyota drivers to ad-supported audio platforms at home, in the car, at work, and some other place. In all locations, Toyota drivers devote 64% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.

Following AM/FM radio, podcasts have an 22% share among Toyota drivers across all listening locations. Among Toyota drivers, music streaming platforms have modest shares: ad-supported Spotify (6%), ad-supported Pandora (4%), and ad-supported YouTube Music (1%). Among Toyota drivers, ad-supported SiriusXM has a 3% share.  

How can Toyota dealers reach drivers of competitive brands? Via AM/FM radio’s 83% share of in-car ad-supported audio!

While half of U.S. new vehicle purchases come from former owners, the other half come from competitor owners. With an 83% share of total in-car ad-supported audio, AM/FM radio is the perfect way to reach and conquest Toyota auto brand competitive drivers.

Among all drivers, AM/FM radio has an eye-popping 83% share of in-car ad-supported audio. When it comes to reaching other brand owners, all roads lead to AM/FM radio!

Here are the in-car ad-supported shares by auto brand drivers:

To conquest drivers of competitive brands, AM/FM radio is ideal with its dominant 64% share of ad-supported audio in all locations

MRI-Simmons: AM/FM radio leads most media in auto purchase intention across a wide array of vehicle types

According to the MRI-Simmons Winter 2026 auto purchase intention data, heavy AM/FM radio listeners lead most other media in being “very likely” to be in the market for a variety of vehicle types over the next year.

• AM/FM radio listeners are 6% more likely than the U.S. average to be “very likely” to make a new auto purchase in the next year. AM/FM radio is tied for second among six media.
• AM/FM radio is the number one media in purchase intention for trucks, SUVs, and hybrids/EVs. In all cases, AM/FM radio listeners are much more likely to be in market compared to the general population.
• When it comes to a used/pre-owned purchase, AM/FM ranks second in behind social media. AM/FM radio listeners are 10% more likely than the average to be in market for a used/pre-owned vehicle.
• AM/FM radio listeners are 15% more likely to purchase a new four-door sedan in the next year. AM/FM radio ranks second in purchase intent right behind the heavy social media audience.
• AM/FM radio listeners are 17% more likely to be in the market for minivans versus the general population.

Key findings:

• Toyota’s brand loyalty rate of around 62% means 6 of 10 Toyota customers returning to the market purchase the Toyota brand again. It’s crucial for Toyota Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Toyota owners.
• Reach future Toyota buyers on the medium Toyota drivers listen to most: AM/FM radio. Toyota drivers spend an astonishing 84% of all in-car ad-supported audio time spent with AM/FM radio.
• In all locations, Toyota drivers devote 64% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.
• Toyota can conquest drivers from competitive brands with AM/FM radio, which has an 83% share of all in-car ad-supported audio.
• MRI-Simmons: AM/FM radio leads most media in auto purchase intention across a wide array of vehicle types.

Download the slides:

Pierre Bouvard is Chief Insights Officer of the Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group^®.

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.