Two GM Brands Just Took A Huge Hit In Customer Satisfaction IndexGuessing HeadlightsAndre NalinTue, September 22, 2026 at 6:30 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleImage Credit: Cadillac.General Motors has plenty to celebrate across its sprawling portfolio, but the latest customer satisfaction numbers aren't especially flattering for two of its brands. Buick and Cadillac recorded the two largest year-over-year declines among the individual brands measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.Buick's score plunged from 81 in 2025 to 68 in 2026, representing a 16% decline. Cadillac wasn't far behind, falling from 81 to 69 for a 15% drop.Those results left both brands near the bottom of their respective categories. Buick finished second-last among the mass-market brands measured, while Cadillac posted the lowest score among luxury nameplates.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe results come from the ACSI's latest automobile study, based on data collected between July 2025 and June 2026. Across the entire industry, customer satisfaction slipped only 1%, making the declines at Buick and Cadillac even more shocking.Buick And Cadillac Fell HardImage Credit: Buick.Buick's 68 score placed it ahead of only Chrysler, which finished at 67. That's a dramatic reversal from 2025, when Buick's score of 81 sat above the mass-market average of 79.Cadillac experienced a similar slide on the luxury side, as its score dropped to 69, well below the luxury segment average of 78 and behind every other luxury brand included in the 2026 ranking.GM's other major brands also moved backward, although by smaller margins. GMC declined 6% from 81 to 76, while Chevrolet dropped 5% from 79 to 75.The Industry Also Lost GroundThe declines weren't limited to General Motors. Overall automobile satisfaction fell from 79 to 78, while the mass-market average dropped by the same single point.AdvertisementAdvertisementLuxury brands collectively experienced a larger decline, falling from 80 to 78. Mercedes-Benz led that category with a score of 81, while Toyota topped the mass-market group at 83.The ACSI also found differences between powertrain types. Hybrid vehicles maintained an aggregate satisfaction score of 80, while gasoline vehicles fell from 80 to 78 and EVs slipped from 73 to 72.The Data Doesn't Explain Exactly What Went WrongImage Credit: Cadillac.ACSI examines numerous aspects of the ownership experience, including comfort, driving performance, dependability, technology, fuel economy, warranties, and expected resale value. Digital experiences such as manufacturer websites and mobile apps are also included.The publicly available results don't provide individual category scores for Buick or Cadillac, however, so they don't reveal exactly what caused either brand's dramatic decline. Drawing a direct connection to specific vehicles, technologies, or quality problems would therefore require evidence beyond the ACSI results.AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat the numbers do show is a substantial difference in owner sentiment over a single year. With Buick down 16% and Cadillac down 15%, GM now has two brands sitting toward the bottom of an index where they scored much better just a year ago.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.