(ACSI: Ann Arbor, MI) -- Car buyer satisfaction rebounded as domestic and mass-market brands improved, according to new data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Customer satisfaction with automobiles is up 3.8 percent to a score of 82 on ACSI’s 100-point scale. Luxury cars have dominated the driver satisfaction rankings for years, but the top tier is now evenly split between mass market and luxury vehicles.

“The rise of mass-market vehicles may well be at the expense of luxury brands in the sense that buyers now see little differentiation between luxury cars and regular ones,” says Claes Fornell, ACSI chairman and founder. “If there is little difference, why pay more? Exclusivity may not be enough.”

Among 24 auto brands tracked by the ACSI, 16 improved while 5 declined—three of which are premium brands. The most notable decline is for Volkswagen, which is embroiled in an emissions-cheating scandal that has angered customers, government officials, and consumer and environmental advocates. In a year dominated by improving customer satisfaction, Volkswagen dropped 3 percent to 78, tied for lowest among mass-market vehicles.

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