According to slashgear.com, JD Power’s 2026 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study identified Dunlop as the lowest-rated passenger tire brand across all measured categories. Dunlop, which is owned by Goodyear, scored 723 points out of a possible 1,000 in the passenger car category, the only segment in which it appeared.
The study measures owner satisfaction across four key factors: traction and handling qualities, perceived tire wear, aesthetic appearance, and ride quality. JD Power collects responses at two intervals, after one year and after two years of ownership, to track how impressions change as tires accumulate miles.
For the 2026 report JD Power surveyed 38,244 owners of 2023 through 2025 model-year vehicles. Overall satisfaction scores showed convergence across powertrains, with internal combustion engine vehicles scoring 789, battery electric vehicles at 775, and plug-in hybrids at 772 on the 1,000-point scale.
Michelin emerged as the highest-rated tire company across three of the four vehicle segments covered by the study. That kind of consistency matters to both automakers and drivers who rely on original equipment fitment for performance and safety.
The research also found shifting dynamics around brand loyalty. Overall loyalty rose to 54 percent, but when owners need to replace two or more tires brand loyalty falls to 42 percent. In those replacement scenarios perceived tire wear was the primary reason drivers switched away from the original brand.
Those numbers reflect practical decision making. Replacing a single tire often leads owners to stick with the original brand, whereas buying a pair or a set brings cost, availability, and technical fitment into play. Factors like tire size and speed rating can prompt consumers to choose a different brand when they need multiple replacements.
For tire makers the takeaway is straightforward: improving wear characteristics and meeting OE specifications helps retain customers. For owners the study is a reminder that monitoring tread life and keeping suspension and alignment in check can preserve tire performance and reduce the chances of having to replace multiple tires at once.
