Gas Prices Fuel Drop in Car Owner Satisfaction

DETROIT (AP) - If you've bought a new car this year, chances are you just aren't as enamored with it as you were the last time you got one.
At least, that's what the latest survey by J.D. Power and Associates indicates. It says for the first time in five years, drivers of new cars were less satisfied with their vehicles. And it all goes back to high gas prices.
J.D. Power's director of product research and analysis notes that by and large, fuel economy among vehicles hasn't improved at a time when gas prices are up 27 percent.
The survey measures owner satisfaction with the design, layout and performance of new vehicles.
The good news is U.S. automakers continue to show improvement. In fact, of the eight most-improved nameplates, all were U.S. brands.

On the Net:
J.D. Power and Associates: http://www.jdpower.com

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