Team Clark is adamant that we will never write content influenced by or paid for by an advertiser. To support our work, we do make money from some links to companies and deals on our site. Learn more about our guarantee here.
Better value is driving customer satisfaction scores up for automakers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) latest report, just released.
In addition to improvements related to value, drivers say product and service quality have also gotten better.
RELATED: Buying gas from a station on this list is better for your car
The ACSI Automobile Report 2018 is based on interviews with 4,649 drivers who were chosen at random and asked to evaluate their recent purchase and driving experiences.
Here are the key findings of the study, followed by the rankings:
Automaker | 2018 score | 2017 score |
Lexus (Toyota) | 85 | 86 |
Volvo | 85 | 82 |
Lincoln (Ford) | 84 | 83 |
Subaru | 84 | 85 |
Audi (Volkswagen) | 83 | 82 |
Honda | 83 | 81 |
Toyota | 83 | 86 |
BMW | 82 | 82 |
Cadillac (GM) | 82 | 83 |
Mercedes-Benz | 82 | 84 |
Volkswagen | 82 | 79 |
Acura (Honda) | 81 | 80 |
Buick (GM) | 80 | 80 |
GMC (GM) | 80 | 84 |
Hyundai | 80 | 83 |
Jeep (Fiat Chrysler) | 80 | 80 |
Mazda | 80 | 82 |
MINI (BMW) | 80 | NM |
Nissan | 80 | 80 |
Ram (Fiat Chrysler) | 80 | NM |
Chevrolet (GM) | 79 | 81 |
Kia | 79 | 82 |
Mitsubishi | 79 | 78 |
All others (Smaller nameplates) | 78 | 80 |
Fiat (Fiat Chrysler) | 78 | 75 |
Infiniti (Nissan) | 78 | NM |
Dodge (Fiat Chrysler) | 77 | 75 |
Ford | 77 | 79 |
Chrysler (Fiat Chrysler) | 74 | 79 |
NM = Not measured
Perhaps surprisingly, the ACSI report found that customer satisfaction among drivers who had a recalled vehicle is only slightly lower (80) than those who had no recall (81).
ACSI data shows that automakers are continuing to “streamline” the recall process, though individual company performance varies greatly.
There’s room for improvement elsewhere. Regardless of automobile category (mass-market or luxury), this study says all drivers want better warranties and better gas mileage.
On the other hand, driving performance has improved in both the mass-market and luxury segments.
“Look first at cars that your fellow American has been by far the happiest with,” money expert Clark Howard says about this report. Get more details on specific automakers at www.theacsi.org.
This post was last modified on August 28, 2018 12:58 pm
If you plan to take an international flight or cruise anytime soon, there's one free…
Pop quiz: What's money expert Clark Howard's favorite tax-advantaged retirement tool? If you guessed Roth…
Are you considering subscribing to NFL Sunday Ticket for the upcoming season? Now may be…
Did you know major changes are coming for the way credit card processing fees are…
There’s a lot to love about Costco. The company has deals on just about every…
Money expert Clark Howard started a travel agency in his mid-20s and grew it into…