ATLANTA — Cox Automotive has released the results of its inaugural Retail Brand Scorecards study, compiled in partnership with Automotive News. The comprehensive study was designed to measure and compare core brand attributes that most impact dealer performance.

Top honors were given to Ford and Mercedes-Benz in the non-luxury and luxury categories, respectively, with BMW, Chevrolet, and Toyota also earning an A or A- in all six categories: Best Customers, Range and Age of Offerings, Digital Traffic, Shopper Loyalty, and “Attitudinal,” referring to key attributes that most drive purchase behavior, including reputation, durability, affordability, and safety. The 34 graded brands also had the opportunity to earn extra credit for Geographic (i.e. market-share) Consistency and OEM Mandates and Restrictions.

“This study represents a comprehensive review of brands from a unique perspective — how well they support the success of dealers,” said Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke. “As we assembled the data and began to see how the brands performed differently, we started looking at the results as grades in high school, where the most well-rounded and high-achieving students are those who perform well across a wide range of disciplines. With that scorecard framework, we found a clear set of brands that are honor-roll worthy, as they are in essence the hardest-working, most successful students.”

Ford was best-in-class in the non-luxury category, earning an A or A- in every subject, with its highest finish at No. 4 in Range. Extra credit for Geographic Consistency and OEM Mandates and Restrictions pushed Ford to the No. 1 spot, followed by Toyota. Toyota’s Lexus marque was No. 2 among luxury brands, trailing only Mercedes-Benz.

To read the full report, click here.