(ACSI: Ann Arbor, MI)  -- Taxpayers are getting a first hint of potential returns on their investment in the U.S. automobile industry: Detroit is doing a much better job satisfying their customers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). After having trailed competition for a long time, domestic automakers post a large gain in ACSI. Rising contentment with the automobile industry leads the way for an increase in the overall Index, particularly among the U.S. brands, which now equal Asian vehicles for the first time in a decade.

After having slumped prior to the recession, the overall ACSI registers a gain for a third consecutive quarter. The Index stands at 76.1 on a 100-point scale, up 0.1 percent over last quarter and an improvement of 1.3 percent compared to a year ago.

“Although the future will obviously be challenging for Detroit, the rise in customer satisfaction provides a much needed improvement in competitive standing,” says University of Michigan professor Claes Fornell, head of the ACSI, “Making sure that customers are satisfied will be a most important task for the automakers because it leads to higher levels of repeat purchase and fewer customer defections. If they were to remain at the bottom of customer satisfaction in their industry, these companies would not be able to survive.”

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