A survey conducted by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) revealed that most Americans are not happy with their cars, Tech Times reported.
The results of the study translate to the declining satisfaction of consumers on the country's automotive industry.
For the survey, the ACSI contacted 4,360 vehicle owners in the U.S. by telephone and email. The respondents were asked to rate their experiences after their most recent car purchase. The study was conducted from April 22 to May 29 of this year.
According to the survey results, the score for sedans went down by 1.2 percent compared to last year's results. Also, out of 21 car companies included in the study, 16 were given lower scores.
Luxury brands such as BMW, Lexus and Cadillac also experienced a drop in consumer satisfaction. For ACSI's chairman and founder Claes Fornell, given the high price of the luxury cars, buyers expect to get more out of their vehicles, according to NBC News.
"That didn't used to be the case, and it suggests that consumers now expect more for their money when they pay a premium price," he explained.
Only two car brands showed overall improvement in the study. Buick gained a point while Chevrolet went up for points from its standing in last year's survey, Adweek reported.
According to ACSI director David VanAmburg, a major factor that affected consumers' satisfaction for this year is the string of product recalls issued by various car makers.
The director explained that reports of defective car components make people doubt the reliability of auto makers and their products.
"It speaks to the issue of reliability," VanAmburg said. "It makes us wonder what else might go wrong down the road. If there was this defect, is there going to be another one and another one?"
VanAmburg then called on members of the auto industry to take the survey seriously and learn from its results. For him, the study is a wake-up call for companies to start improving their products and services.
"It's very easy to get stale quickly in this industry," he said. "You must constantly engineer and fine-tune these autos to meet the latest customer wants and needs. Also, maintain the highest level of quality while you're doing this."
"Any perception that shortcuts are being taken or that there's a lack of care on the quality side takes a toll on the likelihood that you will go back to that same manufacturer the next time you buy an auto," he added.