— Based on the results of the 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index for vehicles, American drivers might be thinking about switching to a well-fed horse for reliable transportation. At least there wouldn't be as many recalls or the incredible expense of owning a car, both things which have caused vehicle customer satisfaction to drop for the past three years.
The results from the 2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) show car buyers are weary of recalls and tired of paying more for cars that constantly need recall repairs.
Noting rising vehicle prices and continuous recalls, ACSI researchers say although cars are better than they used to be 10 or 20 years ago, all the problems with quality and recalls shouldn't be occurring.
Vehicle owners say they experienced a 40 percent increase in recalls compared to less than a year ago and while problems continue, car prices keep going up.
Out of brands included in the 4,294 customer surveys collected in the second quarter of 2015, 15 brands dropped in customer satisfaction from a year ago. Only two improved from a year ago and both of those are outside the U.S.
In fact, foreign cars lead the way in customer satisfaction with 77 percent of import brands rated above average. Japanese and luxury brands score the highest in customer satisfaction while the only domestic brand that has maintained overall customer satisfaction is Ford/Lincoln.
Scoring top marks in customer satisfaction is Lexus with a score of 84 out of a possible 100, taking the lead from previous front-runner Mercedes-Benz.
Bringing up the rear are brands categorized below the industry average, including some of the biggest American names.
GMC, Kia and Audi score 78 while Nissan/Infiniti and Mitsubishi are one behind at 77. BMW’s MINI scores a 76 and Fiat Chrysler’s Dodge brand also hit a 76.
The bottom three? Let's just say it's not good for brands from Fiat Chrysler. Jeep dropped 5 percent to a score of 75, Chrysler dropped a whopping 9 percent in customer satisfaction to score a 74 and Fiat is at the bottom of the pile with a score of 73.
2015 American Customer Satisfaction Index
| Rank | Brand | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexus | 84 |
| 2 | Acura | 83 |
| 3 | Lincoln | 83 |
| 4 | Mercedes-Benz | 83 |
| 5 | BMW | 82 |
| 6 | Subaru | 82 |
| 7 | Toyota | 82 |
| 8 | Hyundai | 81 |
| 9 | Buick | 80 |
| 10 | Cadillac | 80 |
| 11 | Honda | 80 |
| 12 | Mazda | 80 |
| 13 | Volkswagen | 80 |
| 14 | Chevrolet | 79 |
| 15 | Ford | 79 |
| 16 | Volvo | 79 |
| 17 | Audi | 78 |
| 18 | GMC | 78 |
| 19 | KIA | 78 |
| 20 | Infiniti | 77 |
| 21 | Dodge | 76 |
| 22 | MINI | 76 |
| 23 | Jeep | 75 |
| 24 | Chrysler | 74 |
| 25 | Fiat | 73 |
If you're one of the unhappy car owners who wish they owned a horse instead, tell the world about it by adding your complaint here, about any vehicle.