Fusion, Flex get most return customers

Ford owners are more loyal to the brand than owners of most other marques, according to sales results from the third quarter of 2012.

About 44.1 percent of new car shoppers who owned Ford or Lincoln vehicles bought another in the third quarter of 2012, according to new data from Experian Automotive.

The Ford Fusion and Ford Flex in particular had the best customer retention; of buyers who returned to the new car market late last year, 56.4 and 55.3 percent of those cars' owners, respectively, went home with Fords again.

The Chevrolet Sonic, which earned the top spot on the loyalty list the previous quarter, came third with a 54.3 percent. There were another five Fords in the top ten, too.

Overall, on the brand level, Ford took the top spot from Toyota — the latter saw loyalty rates of roughly 43.3 percent. Kia and Hyundai moved up into third and fourth, while Honda moved down-list.

(Experian Automotive)