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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. Approximately 40% to 43% of current Nissan owners choose to purchase another Nissan when acquiring their next new vehicle.

Nissan ranks highest among Mass-Market brands in J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study; Nissan Sentra and Altima top of their respective segments

The prestigious benchmark of new-vehicle quality is based on owner feedback during the first 90 days of ownership.

The J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study, which measures problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), showed that Nissan achieved the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among all Mass-Market competitors – demonstrating significant improvements in quality and customer experience.

Several Nissan models stood out in their respective segments:

• Nissan Altima – Ranked highest in the Midsize Car segment
• Nissan Sentra – Ranked highest in the Compact Car segment
• Nissan Rogue, Frontier, and Pathfinder – Each placed among the top three in their respective segments

Nissan achieves highest ranking among mass market car segment in J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study

Nissan has earned the #1 position in the mass market car segment of the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, marking the company’s best performance in over three decades.

In the 2024 Sales Satisfaction Study, Nissan increased its score in the mass market car segment by 34 points, securing the top spot within this category. This progress boosted Nissan from 22nd to 11th place within the SSI rankings. This is Nissan’s highest Sales Satisfaction Index performance in 32 years.

Nissan’s progress was fueled by substantial improvements in key areas like negotiation ease, transparency and paperwork efficiency.

Given these strong satisfaction levels, it’s crucial for Nissan Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Nissan 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 Nissan 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, Nissan drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with an astounding 86% audience share

Nissan drivers devote an astonishing 86% of all their in-car ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.

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

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

In all locations, Nissan drivers listen most to AM/FM radio with a massive 70% ad-supported share

Edison examined audience shares among Nissan drivers to ad-supported audio platforms at home, in the car, at work, and some other place. In all locations, Nissan drivers devote 70% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.

Following AM/FM radio, podcasts have a 13% share among Nissan drivers across all listening locations. Among Nissan drivers, music streaming platforms have modest shares: ad-supported Spotify (6%), ad-supported Pandora (6%), and ad-supported YouTube Music (3%). Among Nissan drivers, ad-supported SiriusXM has a 3% share.  

How can Nissan 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 Nissan 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:

• Nissan’s brand loyalty rate of 40% to 43% means 4 of 10 Nissan customers returning to the market purchase the Nissan brand again. It’s crucial for Nissan Tier 1 and Tier 2 and dealer media plans to reach current Nissan owners.
• Reach future Nissan buyers on the medium Nissan drivers listen to most: AM/FM radio. Nissan drivers spend an astonishing 86% of all in-car ad-supported audio time spent with AM/FM radio.
• In all locations, Nissan drivers devote 70% of all their ad-supported audio time spent to AM/FM radio.

• Nissan 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.

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

Contact the Insights team at CorpMarketing@westwoodone.com.