A record year of recalls took a heavy toll on customer satisfaction with the auto industry, according to a new study.
Lexus tops the rankings with 84 points, retaining its score among the general decline and ousting Mercedes-Benz from its number one position.
Past year in the US, automakers recalled a record 64 million vehicles for problems such as exploding air bags and ignition switches that can unexpectedly cause engines to stall.
“Typically recalls signal issues with lagging quality, but there is also a psychological facet at play, where recalls can impact the level of trust customers have in their preferred auto brands”, Mr. VanAmburg said.
The economy has improved, leaving consumers with more money to spend on upgrading their cars, boosting demand and prices.
“While it is true that all cars are now much better than they were 10 to 20 years ago, it is alarming that so many of them have quality problems”, said Claes Fornell, chairman and founder of the index, in the written analysis of the data. The absence of injuries and the comparatively small recall number is unlikely to dent consumer confidence in the brand (see story).
Lincoln tied with Acura and Mercedes at 83. Subaru, Toyota, and BMW came in third, each averaging 82 points. “This should not happen with modern manufacturing technology and has negative consequences for driver safety, costs and customer satisfaction”.
Rising sticker prices are also contributing to consumers’ frustrations. This is the lowest level of client satisfaction ACSI has registered since 2004. General Motors’ Buick and Cadillac brands poked their heads slightly above water with 80 points each, but honestly, Lincoln was the only domestic success story, with 83 points.
Chevrolet, Ford and Volvo all matched the industry average, while luxury brands Audi (78 points) and Infiniti (77 points) fell below the line.
Several Fiat Chrysler nameplates sat at the bottom of the scoring list, with Fiat earning a 73, Chrysler falling 9 percent to score 74 and Jeep down 5 percent to a score of 75. BMW’s MINI enters the Index at 76, tying Fiat Chrysler’s Dodge.
Luxury automotive brands are increasing differentiation tactics as the market becomes clogged with new competitors, according to a separate report by Frost & Sullivan.