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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 Subaru brand has extraordinary customer loyalty.

61% of current Subaru owners purchase another Subaru vehicle when they return to the market for their next car. This puts Subaru consistently near the very top of the automotive industry for brand and model retention.

Subaru’s strong owner loyalty and dealer retention are backed by several specific industry metrics:

• Brand Loyalty Rankings: In the J.D. Power Automotive Brand Loyalty Study, Subaru secured the second-highest loyalty rate among all mass-market SUV brands, capturing 60.6% of repeat buyers.
• S&P Global Mobility Awards: Subaru was recognized by S&P Global Mobility for achieving the Highest Overall Loyalty to Dealer award. Furthermore, industry data shows approximately 38% of Subaru owners returning to the market acquire their next vehicle from the exact same dealership.

Why do Subaru owners return to the brand?

• Exclusive Trade-In Programs: Subaru incentivizes repeat purchases through the manufacturer’s Guaranteed Trade-In Program, locking in value specifically for owners upgrading to a newer model year.
• Dependability: The brand frequently boasts that 96% of its vehicles sold over the past 10 years remain on the road, which heavily drives long-term consumer trust.
• Specific Upgrades: Many returning customers utilize the Subaru Trade Up Advantage to transition into updated models with newer EyeSight® safety tech and capabilities.

Given these loyalty levels, it’s crucial for Subaru Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Subaru 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 Subaru 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, Subaru drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with an astounding 84% audience share

Subaru 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 Subaru drivers during their commute and while they’re running errands. U.S. government studies report most commutes are a solo affair. In-car, Subaru drivers cannot be reached by social media, online video, or any digital platform.

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

In all locations, Subaru drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with a massive 63% ad-supported share

Edison examined audience shares among Subaru drivers to ad-supported audio platforms at home, in the car, at work, and some other place. In all locations, Subaru drivers devote 63% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.

Following AM/FM radio, podcasts have a 21% share among Subaru drivers across all listening locations. Among Subaru drivers, music streaming platforms have modest shares: ad-supported Spotify (4%), ad-supported Pandora (4%), and ad-supported YouTube Music (3%). Among Subaru drivers, ad-supported SiriusXM has a 4% share.  

How can Subaru 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 Subaru 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 mini-vans versus the general population.

Key findings:

• Subaru’s brand loyalty rate of 61% means 6 of 10 Subaru customers returning to the market purchase the Subaru brand again. It’s crucial for Subaru Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Subaru owners.
• Reach future Subaru buyers on the medium Subaru drivers listen to most: AM/FM radio. Subaru drivers spend an astonishing 84% of all in-car ad-supported audio time spent with AM/FM radio.
• In all locations, Subaru drivers devote 63% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.
• Subaru 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.