J.D. Power released its 2022 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study today, marking industry trends and customer satisfaction within the car rental industry. This year's study noted that rental fees are up 14% this year, an average of nearly $90 per day, and the rise is suppressing overall customer satisfaction and driving a steady decline in rental car company brand image. Although North American airport-based rental car companies have largely solved the vehicle supply shortage that caused a significant decline in customer satisfaction in 2021, overall customer satisfaction levels have not improved in 2022. 

For 2022, Enterprise ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction for a second consecutive year, with a score of 865. National (859) ranked second and Alamo (837) ranked third. Overall customer satisfaction for the industry is 829, down from 830 in 2021 and 841 in 2020.

“When it comes to rental cars, price is the biggest factor affecting satisfaction, and the combined effects of inflation and high fuel prices are really pushing customers to their limits — and that could affect brand image,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at J.D. Power. “If rental car companies want to offset the influence of these cost increases on customer satisfaction and their brand loyalty, they are going to have to work hard to deliver outsized value by ramping up service.”

The study is based on responses gathered from 8,445 business and leisure travelers who rented a vehicle at an airport location from August 2021 through August 2022. The study was fielded from September 2021 through August 2022.