Press - Automobile Magazine

The auto industry is seeing better days since it suffered a crisis back in 2008, when American car sales plummeted to one of its lowest points. Since then, the industry has rebounded and customers are now flocking to dealerships across the country to get their hands on a new set of wheels. But which dealers are performing up to par?

Pied Piper's annual Prospect Satisfaction Index ranks dealers in order of consumer satisfaction, so, logically, any automaker would want to be at the top of the list. Mercedes-Benz has taken the gold in 2010, thanks to its sterling customer satisfaction.

In what is sure to be reassuring news for the auto industry as a whole, 25 of the 34 brands scored higher compared to last year's index. During the survey, Pied Piper dispatched 3658 mystery shoppers to dealers to gather feedback for a variety of dealer-consumer criteria, mainly focusing on salesperson interaction.

Sitting atop this year's PSI is Mercedes, followed by Lexus, Land Rover, Acura, and Jaguar to round out the top five. The first mass-market brand to appear in the order is Chevrolet at tenth; Ford and Honda placed directly behind. After the industry average, just 12 brands were rated to be below average, with Mitsubishi owning the dubious honor of 34th place.