(March 4, 2012) WABAN, Mass. — The nation's automotive dealers did not fare well in a new research report, Temkin Group's 2012 Temkin Experience Ratings, which rates the customer experience of 206 large companies across 18 industries.

This is the second year that Temkin Group has released these ratings, which are based on a survey of 10,000 U.S. consumers in January 2012. Ten auto dealers were surveyed — BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Toyota.

Chevrolet was the top rated auto dealer and the only one to receive a "good" customer experience rating. It was also the 57th ranked company in the overall list of 206 companies. Three auto dealers were next in line with "okay" ratings: Toyota, BMW, and Honda. The remaining six auto dealers earned "poor" ratings with Kia falling to the bottom of the list.

The average rating for the overall auto industry placed it 14th among 18 industries, only outpacing health plans, Internet service providers, TV service providers, and computer makers.

"Auto dealers leave a lot to be desired when it comes to customer experience," states Bruce Temkin, author of the report and Managing Partner of Temkin Group.

The Temkin Experience Ratings evaluates three dimensions of customer experience:

    Functional: Does the company meet consumers' needs?
    Accessible: How easy is it for consumers to do what they are trying to do?
    Emotional: How do consumers feel about their interactions with companies?

Other highlights from the research include:

    Chevrolet and Toyota received the highest Functional ratings, while Dodge, Hyundai, and Chrysler received the lowest.
    Chevrolet and BMW received the highest Accessible ratings, while Hyundai and Nissan received the lowest.
    Chevrolet and Toyota received the highest Emotional ratings, while Kia and Dodge received the lowest.