Hybrid Owners Are the Most Satisfied, EV Owners the Least: ACSI 2026 Study

Hybrid vehicles earned the highest owner satisfaction scores in a new American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) study. For 2026, hybrids scored 80 out of 100, gasoline cars 78, and EVs 72.

The study is based on 6,699 completed surveys. Participants were selected at random and surveyed by email from July 2025 through June 2026. The results cover the US auto market.

Compared with the previous study, the hybrid score was unchanged. Gasoline vehicles lost 3%, while EVs dropped another 1%, falling from 73 to 72.

ACSI attributes the hybrid advantage to a compromise between fuel savings and ease of use. These cars mean fewer trips to the gas station, but they don’t require regularly hunting for a charging station or waiting for the battery to charge.

EVs Fall Further Behind on Range and Expected Resale Value

The gap is especially pronounced in the mass-market segment. Satisfaction with driving range came in at:

• hybrids — 76;
• gasoline vehicles — 74;
• EVs — 64.

A similar picture emerges for expected resale value. Hybrids scored 75, gasoline models 71, and EVs just 63.

ACSI notes that the two metrics are closely linked: owners who rate range lower are also less confident about their car’s future residual value.

In the premium segment, the differences are much smaller. Hybrids scored 74 for driving range and 75 for expected resale value. Gasoline vehicles scored 72 on both, and EVs 71.

In other words, the strongest dissatisfaction with EVs shows up among mass-market models, not expensive EVs.

Hybrids Lead for the Second Year in a Row

The overall US auto market also slipped slightly in the study: the average score fell 1% to 78. What’s more, premium and mass-market brands tied on satisfaction for the first time in recent memory — both segments scored 78.

That said, the ACSI results don’t mean hybrids are objectively the “best” cars. The index measures how satisfied buyers are with their ownership experience, which is shaped by price, expectations for the car, infrastructure, reliability, service and many other factors.

Still, for the second year in a row, hybrids have earned the highest overall score among the main types of powertrains, a clear reflection of growing buyer interest in the middle ground between the classic internal combustion engine and fully electric cars.