Lexus has rated first with U.S. car buyers in the University of Michigan’s annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), scoring 87 out of a possible 100 points. Rounding out the top five were BMW, Buick, Mercury and Cadillac, all with a score of 86.
The telephone survey, which asks car buyers to rate their satisfaction level compared with their expectations, showed an overall increase across the board, though Toyota, Honda and Hyundai all saw their scores drop from the previous year:
The survey noted that Japanese and Korean automakers saw their largest single-year drop in customer satisfaction since 1996. The Toyota brand, in particular, dropped 3 points to 84, which the survey blamed on increasing vehicle recalls and poor customer service.
Claes Fornell, head of the index, said U.S. automakers are narrowing the gap with their Asian rivals but they’re still behind. Chrysler’s Jeep, for example, was the worst performer in the survey, with a score of 75.
[Source: Business Week]