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Car owners getting more irritated with their repair experiences, study says

The J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index Study (CSI) is a barometer of a vehicle owner's happiness with the service experience. While it wasn't all bad in the 2023 study, the overall owner satisfaction score dropped. This year's tally of 846 out of 1,000 is two points down from 2022, the 43-year-old study's first decline in more than 28 years, and one point down from 2021. However, the overall score remains well up from the pre-pandemic scores of 821 in 2018 and 837 in 2020. The study claims the stumbling block is the horde of BEV launches. The flood into the new energy space has created a recall rate among EVs that's more than double the rate for ICE vehicles. Furthermore, dealership service department knowledge of EVs isn't on par with internal combustion engine expertise, leaving EV owners less satisfied with service advisors compared to ICE owners. Chris Sutton, VP of automotive retail at J.D. Power, said, "As training programs for service advisors and technicians evolve, EV service quality and customer experience must address both the vehicle and the unique customer needs. The EV segment has the potential to spur massive convenience improvements in how customers service their vehicles — but weÂ’re not seeing the benefits yet." Matters are slightly worse for all owners, though, with labor and parts shortages contributing to longer wait times for service appointments. The CSI study surveys owners and lessees of one- to three-year-old vehicles to gauge their happiness with service at franchised dealer or aftermarket service facilities for maintenance or repair work. The criteria in order of importance are service quality (32%); service advisor (19%); vehicle pick-up (19%); service facility (15%); and service initiation (15%). Lexus retains the top spot for luxury brands, giving it three wins in four years. The Japanese automaker won in 2020 as well, its run interrupted by Porsche in 2021. Cadillac, Infiniti and Acura complete the luxury top 5.  For mass-market cars, Mitsubishi wins again after a victory in 2021 and falling to fourth last year. It's followed by Mazda, Buick, Subaru and Mini.  Considering the different service needs and service experience of different body styles, the study has broken results out by segment for the first time. Lexus earned a second victory thanks to winning the premium SUV segment, and Mitsubishi earned a second victory by winning the mass-market SUV/minivan category.

Production Lexus NX leaked in Jim Lentz presentation?

Before kicking off the Detroit Auto Show, the Society of Automotive Analysts had Toyota CEO Jim Lentz come on stage to say some words about the future of the auto industry, as well as what's coming for Toyota. While this type of information would normally stay off our radar, a video of his speech likely gives us our first look - albeit low-res - at the production version of the Lexus NX compact crossover.
In the video recorded by AmericaJR, Lentz refers to the turbocharged LF-NX Concept that was on display at the Tokyo Motor Show, but comparing this image to our gallery from Tokyo, there are clear differences between the two vehicles. These include the toned-down shape of the spindle grille, lower fascia crease and door mirrors as well as a headlight design that more closely resembles that of the 2014 IS sedan and the newly introduced RC coupe. From what we can see of the rest of this image, the NX should retain some of the LF-NX's angular side body creases. The vehicle you see above basically looks ready for production.
If this is in fact the NX, then reports of a Geneva debut for the luxury crossover seem even more accurate. The entire video is posted below, but the NX comes on screen around the 10:40 mark.

Lexus RC facelift: Here's an official look

After the updated Lexus RC coupe was spied testing last month, Lexus has released official images of the RC coupe's upcoming refresh. The facelifted car will debut at the Paris Motor Show in early October, but the automaker is already offering a good look at the RC's improvements. The 2014-introduced RC is getting a subtle set of updates, and Lexus says these changes will sharpen it both as a driver's car and as a grand tourer. As well as improving aerodynamics, Lexus has honed the RC's suspension and powertrain: There are new shocks and stiffer bushings along with a new set of 19-inch wheels; the car's footprint has been altered and its center of gravity lowered. The rear-wheel-drive RC300's 2.0-liter turbo engine has also had its throttle response fine-tuned. As for aero, there are changes in the side window moldings and a new rear bumper duct to aid airflow and to make the RC more stable on the road. Lexus now calls the RC both razor-sharp and extremely supple; eventual test drives will confirm how much the handling has improved. There's no mention of changed power figures. The RC's looks remain largely unchanged, with noticeable alterations mainly to the headlights and bumper corners along with the spindle grille's mesh; the headlights are now one-piece compared to the old split design that featured a lower "Nike Swoosh" separate from the main headlights. There are new colors, including Naples Yellow and Sparkling Meteor, and the interior colors and trim have also been refreshed: Black leather seats are now available with eye-catching Mustard Yellow side bolsters. A new analogue clock has been borrowed from the LC, as well as other interior styling improvements influenced by the bigger coupe sibling. All in all, it seems the RC is getting subtly infused with the LC's appearance. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.