Car Brands

Good grief, where do we start? After all, if someone wants to know about car brands one could theoretically dive into the history, etc. But then we thought, if you’re reading about car brands odds are you’re either wanting to know how your car’s brand measures up to the competition or what brand of car you should buy next.

When thinking about car brands we couldn’t think of a better metric to consider than customer satisfaction. Luckily, the American Customer Satisfaction Index just came out with their annual rankings of how satisfied folks are with their cars, and the rankings were subsequently tabulated – 1 to 100 (worst to outstanding).

We decided to break this into two groups, the first being the 5 cars that scored the lowest and then the 5 that scored the highest.  

The Lowly Ranks

1. Chrysler

Bringing up the proverbial rear, an American icon, Chrysler, also has the now iconic reputation of coming in dead last in customer satisfaction. Sales plummeted 13.1% last year and the 2019 outlook isn’t looking any rosier.

2. Ford

Another American classic, 2018 was a rough year for U.S. automakers. Customer satisfaction dipped to 77 from 79 and even though sales are still brisk, folks aren’t keen on Fords once they’re driven. How they keep selling with a score of 77 is unclear.

3. Dodge

Ok, this is getting depressing. Chalk another one up for the good old red, white and blue. Dodge tied with Ford at 77, but it’s an improvement from their score of 75 the year before so they move up a notch here.

4. Infiniti

A definite surprise, the Japanese automaker has been in a slump as of late. It’s also a luxury brand which is rare to find this low on customer satisfaction. A 78 is not good, especially since no other luxury brand scored below an 82.

5. Mitsubishi

The “best of the 5 worst” award goes to … Mitsubishi. Tied with Infiniti at 78, we rank it ahead because sales were an impressive 23.4% more than the previous year. Folks are buying so look for Mitsubishi to perhaps slip into the 80 range by next year.

The High Flyers

5. Audi

A strong brand, Audi noted the 5th best customer satisfaction score (83) which has the Volkswagen Group (owners of Audi) ecstatic. It’s their only top finisher and they would like to pigeonhole some more in there.

4. Subaru

No surprise here, Subaru has been a strong customer satisfaction performer for decades now. The Japanese niche brand has chosen to grow modestly and with loyal customers. They will never outsell the likes of Toyota or Honda, but top management does not mind. Quality over quantity here.

3. Lincoln

Well, Ford was a bottom dweller (owner of Lincoln) so at least an American brand can position itself in the Top 5. Coming in at 84, Lincoln has climbed the ladder since 2017 while Ford has fallen and continues to year after year.

2. Volvo

Like Subaru, any customer satisfaction list is not complete without Volvo on it. Known for excellent craftsmanship and superb performance, the Swedish giant registered its highest score ever – 85.

1. Lexus

And the winner goes to … a luxury leader, Lexus. Part of the Toyota Group, Lexus continues to perform year by year and has been a top 5 car brand since 2011. That’s astounding, 8 straight years as one of the Top 5 in customer satisfaction. Impressive stuff for Lexus and company.