Brand Toyota falls-Toyota's customer satisfaction takes a hit

Firstly don't know if this is one of those PR tricks by the americans against the Japanese car manufacturer but here's what they say

Car buyers, in a surprising shift from a year ago, are more satisfied with their American-made Buicks and Lincolns than they are with their Toyotas these days, according to a University of Michigan study published Tuesday. But the turnabout isn't indicative of quality and reliability improvements up and down model lineups at both General Motorsand Ford .Instead, the study contends, it's a function of Toyota's brand, which has suffered from recalls and other uncharacteristic hiccups, dropping from first place and allowing offerings like Buick and Lincoln-Mercury to climb the list. "What goes up must come down, but it remains to be seen whether this is just a stumble for Toyota or a sign of something more serious," said Claes Fornell, who heads the study. "But Detroit automakers would be making a huge mistake if they think the Asians will keep falling back to them," he added. "They have to do it on their own." Last week, J.D. Power's closely watched dependability survey reported similar results, with Buick joining Lexus as the most reliable brand

Source:
Toyota's customer satisfaction takes a hit - MarketWatch