What’s Driving Auto’s Reputation: Transportation Report Infographic
Corporate Reputation02 Oct, 2025
For the automotive industry, corporate reputation is on a plateau. After navigating cost pressures, recalls, and uneven innovation progress, automakers’ reputations remain resilient enough to hold — but without advancing.
Backed by RepTrak data, this infographic highlights the Drivers where reputation is improving, with actionable insights on how automakers can move the needle forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does it mean that the auto industry is on a reputational plateau? A reputational plateau means that while automakers’ reputation remains stable enough to endure challenges like cost pressures, recalls, and inconsistent innovation, the industry isn’t advancing. Stakeholders see resilience — but not forward momentum.
2. Which Drivers of Reputation are showing improvement for automakers? RepTrak data reveals that Conduct, Citizenship, and Workplace are the only Drivers with measurable gains in 2025. These improvements reflect growing stakeholder recognition of ethical practices, social responsibility, and investment in employee experience.
3. Why are Innovation and Performance holding the industry back? Innovation and Performance remain reputational weak spots because automakers face ongoing challenges delivering consistent product reliability, meeting customer expectations, and proving progress on advanced technologies. These gaps limit stakeholder confidence in the industry’s future trajectory.
4. How can automakers build on recent reputational gains? Automakers can amplify progress in Conduct, Citizenship, and Workplace by strengthening commitments to ethics, social impact, and employee well-being. At the same time, they must restore credibility in Innovation and Performance by delivering reliable EV launches, transparent communication around recalls, and consistent safety standards.
5. What’s the key takeaway for leaders? Integrity, accountability, and care for people are creating measurable reputational lift, even in uncertain times. To move from plateau to progress, leaders must pair responsibility with credible innovation and reliable performance.
