J.D. Power: Consumer Satisfaction Index Down, Lexus, Saturn at Top

06/18/96

The new J.D. Power and Associates survey measuring consumers' satisfaction with their automobiles and the companies who make them revealed that Americans are less satisfied with their cars overall than they were last year. The J.D. Power Satisfaction Index fell from 122 points last year to 119 points this year: the first drop in consumer satisfaction since the survey began nine years ago.

J.D. Power, an automotive consulting firm based in Agoura Hills, CA, attributed the fall in satisfaction to consumer's rising expectations and frustration with traditional haggling over dealer prices. Armed with more information about purchasing new vehicles, the American market has become wise to sales games and harder to please.

This year's decline comes under the rubrics of sales person performance and delivery activities, which make up 70 percent of the total score. The other part of the score comes from vehicle condition at time of delivery, but that category showed no change from last year.

Saturn, the innovators of no-haggle pricing, were at the top of the survey with a score of 154, but their index is down four points from last year's record making score of 160. Lexus, whose satisfaction index rose 5 points over last year caught up with Saturn at the 154 point mark.

Here's a short list of some of the most satisfying rides:

          Saturn		154
          Lexus		        154
          Volvo		        151
          Cadillac	        146
          Infiniti	        145
          Mercedes-Benz	        145
          Lincoln		143
          Jaguar		142
          Porsche		140
          Buick		        137

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel