WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -

The results for the J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Customer Service Index Study were released today, showcasing the areas that recently experienced increases and decreases in customer satisfaction based on data from service at franchised dealers for maintenance or repair work among owners and lessees of 1-to-5-year-old vehicles.

J.D. Power highlighted that customer satisfaction has increased with recall customers despite the recent dramatic increase in the number of recalls. The study found that the overall customer service index, or CSI, for customers who took their vehicles to a dealer for a recall-related service improved from 777 to 789 in 2015 (on a 1000 point scale).

“Even though recalls can create a large influx of customers into the service department and really strain capacity, automakers are better prepared to handle recalls than they were a few years ago,” said Chris Sutton, J.D. Power’s vice president, U.S. automotive retail practice. “Manufacturers have shown that it is possible to turn a potential negative into a positive when it comes to recalls if they’re done in a way that doesn’t inconvenience the customer.”

Despite the increase in CSI with recall customers, overall satisfaction decreased slightly. Interestingly, satisfaction for customers with a recall visit was 8 points higher than those with a repair visit for a different reason.

Amongst the automakers, Jaguar ranked the highest in customer satisfaction with a score of 877. The British brand was followed closely by other luxury brands such as Lexus (870), Audi (865), Lincoln (861) and Cadillac (858).

For the mass-market brands, Buick ranked the highest (836) followed by Mini (834), Volkswagen (818), GMC (811) and Chevrolet (807).

For more information or to read the full report, visit the J.D. Power website.