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J.D. Power: Mini, Lexus again offer most satisfying sales experience

JD Power has released its annual Sales Satisfaction Index Study, and once again Mini and Lexus have taken top honors. Overall, buyers are more satisfied with the auto-buying sales experience than they were last year, with those surveyed reporting an average score of 664 points on a 1,000-point scale. That's up from 648 in 2011. Dealer satisfaction also increased by five points over last year as well.
All told, Lexus brought home an index score of 737, which was high enough to put it atop the luxury brands for the second year in a row. JD Power says Infiniti came in second in that category with a score of 728 and Cadillac rounded out the podium with it's rating of 725. Speaking of Infiniti, that brand saw the single largest jump in sales satisfaction of any brand on the survey, popping up 52 index points over 2011.
Among mass-market brands, Mini ranked highest with a score of 712, followed closely by Buick with 706 and GMC farther down the line with 683. You can check out the full press release below for more information.

2014 Lexus CT 200h F Sport

The idea of the Lexus CT 200h F Sport intrigues me. A compact, premium, efficient hatchback with an added dose of sportiness? Sign me up. It's why I'm still crossing my fingers for Volkswagen to sell the Golf GTD on our shores (though recent reports on that front are bumming me out). And judging a book by its cover, this Lexus certainly looks like it could be an interesting proposition.
Lexus first launched the CT for the 2011 model year, and for 2014, the little hatch has been given a makeover, now proudly wearing the company's new spindle grille, for better or worse. When we reviewed the CT after its launch, executive editor Chris Paukert called it "handsome, well screwed together," and "one of Toyota's boldest offerings in years." That may have been true, but after a slight makeover and some fresh new F Sport duds, I'm wondering if the CT proposition isn't looking a little more unfortunate than before.
Driving Notes

Lexus recalling 3,000 NX 200t CUVs for faulty brake system part

Lexus is recalling about 3,000 examples of the 2015 NX 200t in the US because of possible damage to the ABS actuator during assembly. On vehicles with the faulty part, the anti-lock brakes, traction control and stability control might not function properly. If the ABS is activated while driving, it could cause "a loss of vehicle stability," according to the company. No crashes, injuries, or fatalities have been reported. According to company spokesperson Cindy Knight to Autoblog, affected owners will receive notification by mail of this problem in early July. Dealers will inspect the actuator on the NX200t and will replace it, if necessary. Related Video: LEXUS RECALLS CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2015 NX VEHICLES TORRANCE, Calif., May 27, 2015 – Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today announced that it is conducting a safety recall of approximately 3,000 model year 2015 Lexus NX 200t vehicles. The involved vehicles are equipped with an Anti-Lock Braking system (ABS), Traction Control System (TRAC), and Vehicle Stability Control System (VSC) which are controlled by the ABS actuator. There is a possibility that a component inside the actuator could be damaged during assembly and later not operate properly. Under some driving conditions, if the ABS is activated, this could cause a loss of vehicle stability, which can increase the risk of a crash. To date, Toyota is not aware of any crashes, injuries or fatalities caused by this condition. All known owners of the involved Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Lexus dealers will inspect the ABS actuator and if necessary replace it with a new one. Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time. For the most up-do-date recall information, customers should contact Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987. Customers can also access current information on open safety recalls for their vehicles by visiting www.toyota.com/recall or http://www.safercar.gov/ and entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). ###