AutoNation Dealerships Certified as J.D. Power 2021 Dealers of Excellence with Record-Breaking 78 Stores

Certification Based on J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study and Dealership Best Practices

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Apr 15, 2021, 08:00 ET

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its commitment to exceeding customer expectations, AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), America's largest and most recognized automotive retailer today announced seventy-eight (78) AutoNation stores have been certified in the J.D. Power 2021 Dealer of Excellence Program.^SM This program recognizes a very selective number of retail dealerships throughout the United States that provide an exceptional customer sales experience and once again, AutoNation was the clear leader.

"This certification is an outstanding accomplishment for our teams. Last year we set the bar with 54 stores receiving the J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence recognition. These 54 stores again received the recognition with 24 new stores added this year. We could not be prouder.," said Jim Bender, President and Chief Operating Officer at AutoNation. "This recognition amplifies AutoNation's commitment to providing a peerless Customer experience as the clear industry leader and every member of our team shares in this achievement."

Known for its "Voice of the Customer" research for more than 50 years, J.D. Power and, subsequently, its Dealer of Excellence Program help consumers identify leading retailers that will go the extra mile. The 78 certified stores are:

AutoNation Toyota Tempe
Mercedes-Benz of Naperville
Audi Las Vegas
Audi Plano
Audi Westmont
AutoNation Acura Gulf Freeway
AutoNation Chevrolet Amarillo
AutoNation Chevrolet Gulf Freeway
AutoNation Chevrolet West Amarillo
AutoNation Ford Littleton
AutoNation Ford Memphis
AutoNation Ford Miami
AutoNation Ford North Canton
AutoNation Ford Tustin
AutoNation Ford Westlake
AutoNation Honda Sanford
AutoNation Honda South Corpus Christi
AutoNation Subaru Spokane Valley
AutoNation Toyota Arapahoe
AutoNation Toyota Cerritos
AutoNation Toyota Fort Myers
AutoNation Toyota Mall of Georgia
AutoNation Toyota Weston
AutoNation Toyota Winter Park
BMW Encinitas
Jaguar Fort Lauderdale
Land Rover Fort Lauderdale
Lexus of Clearwater
Lexus of Palm Beach
Mercedes-Benz of Houston Greenway
Mercedes-Benz of Miami
Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek
Porsche Newport Beach
Porsche Plano
Valencia BMW
Audi Peoria
Audi Spokane
AutoNation Acura North Orlando
AutoNation Chevrolet Coral Gables
AutoNation Chevrolet Doral
AutoNation Ford Amherst
AutoNation Ford Katy
AutoNation Ford Mobile
AutoNation Ford Sanford
AutoNation Honda Miami Lakes
AutoNation Honda Roseville
AutoNation Volkswagen Spokane
AutoNation Volvo Cars San Jose
House of Imports
Lexus of Cerritos
Mercedes-Benz of Fort Lauderdale
Mercedes-Benz of Houston North/smart center Houston North
Mercedes-Benz of Pembroke Pines
Mercedes-Benz of Sarasota/smart Center Sarasota
Audi Bellevue
AutoNation Acura South Bay
AutoNation Acura Spokane Valley
AutoNation Acura Stevens Creek
AutoNation Chevrolet Arrowhead
AutoNation Ford Burleson
AutoNation Ford Corpus Christi
AutoNation Ford South Fort Worth
AutoNation Ford Valencia
AutoNation Honda 385
AutoNation Honda Costa Mesa
AutoNation Honda Covington Pike
AutoNation Honda Fremont
AutoNation Honda Hollywood
AutoNation Honda Renton
AutoNation Honda Thornton Road
AutoNation Honda Tucson Auto Mall
AutoNation Honda Valencia
AutoNation Subaru Roseville
AutoNation Toyota Spokane Valley
AutoNation Volkswagen Mall of Georgia
Laurel BMW of Westmont
Mercedes-Benz of North Orlando
Mercedes-Benz of San Jose / Smart Center San Jose

According to J.D. Power, buying a vehicle is a significant financial transaction and can be stressful because there's so much information to digest. The Dealer of Excellence Program assists auto buyers who are looking for an exceptional dealership where they can confidently buy a vehicle. Certified dealers also benefit by leveraging the J.D. Power brand and promoting their dealership's commitment to an outstanding customer purchase experience.

Dealer of Excellence is an exclusive program and not all dealerships can qualify. Those that do must pass a three-step process:

As the first qualification criterion, J.D. Power limits the percentage of eligible dealerships by nameplate based on each brand's performance in the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study.^SM Thus, proportionally more dealerships from top-performing brands can become a J.D. Power Dealer of Excellence.

Second, dealerships must rank among their brand's top performers in key customer satisfaction areas consistent with measurements found in the SSI Study.

Finally, qualifying dealers must pass an audit to show they meet or exceed J.D. Power sales best practices. Those best practices include, but are not limited to, listing vehicle inventory and pricing on the dealership website; negotiating in an efficient and transparent manner; offering a fair trade-in value; and presenting a clear and easy-to-understand menu of finance and insurance products.

About AutoNation, Inc.

AutoNation, America's largest and most recognized automotive retailer, is transforming the automotive industry through its bold leadership, innovation, and comprehensive brand extensions. As of December 31, 2020, AutoNation owned and operated over 315 locations from coast to coast. AutoNation has sold over 13 million vehicles, the first automotive retailer to reach this milestone. AutoNation's success is driven by a commitment to delivering a peerless experience through customer-focused sales and service processes. Since 2013, AutoNation has raised over $25 million to drive out cancer, create awareness, and support critical research through its DRIVE PINK initiative, which was officially branded in 2015.

Please visit www.autonation.com, investors.autonation.com, www.twitter.com/CEOMikeJackson, and www.twitter.com/AutoNation, where AutoNation discloses additional information about the Company, its business, and its results of operations. Please also visit www.autonationdrive.com, AutoNation's automotive blog, for information regarding the AutoNation community, the automotive industry, and current automotive news and trends.

SOURCE AutoNation, Inc.