Chart Of The Day: Auto Industry Approval Rating Bounces Back

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Approval rating, based on the question “Do you think each of the following generally do a good or bad job of serving their consumers?”

Auto industry rejoice: you are no longer as despised as the banking industry! Harris Polls didn’t release data for the years 1999 and 2010 exaggerating some of the swings you see in this graph, but it’s safe to say the auto industry has clawed its way out of a post-bailout PR hangover. Sure, Big Auto is still trailing such glamorous industries as Online Retail and Packaged Food, and only barely beat Electric and Gas Utilities for the hearts of consumers… but after nearly falling into negative approval numbers in 2009, this is still a big comeback. And compared to the industry that Big Auto is most closely tied to, namely Big Oil, even 2009 was a “what PR problem?” kind of a year. Which is more than a little strange when you think about it…


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Mike978 Mike978 on Sep 26, 2011

    I am amazed the Banks do as well as they have.

  • Fincar1 Fincar1 on Sep 26, 2011

    My guess is that the line for oil companies would (inversely) correlate quite closely with the pump price of gasoline. That low point for the auto industry probably comes from the bailout and Cash for Clunkers, I'm thinking.

  • Jimmyy Jimmyy on Sep 27, 2011

    Have these people heard the Congress kept alive an automotive bailout program that provides near zero interest rate loans? Ford took a cool 6 Billion bailout from this program. Now, Chrysler wants at least a 3 Billion bailout. Detroit automotive industry welfare is what this is. The government is trying to hide this Detroit welfare package by calling it a green energy program and handing a loan to Nissan. A reason for the increase in the perception of the auto industry is many are now happy with Toyota again after they figured out the entire recall story was fake. It was launched by Obama on behalf of Detroit and the UAW.

    • See 1 previous
    • Steven02 Steven02 on Sep 27, 2011

      LOL, the recall story if fake. That made me laugh. Only to see that Toyota issued recalls in other countries before the US for problems with SUA, even though there were complaints about SUA in the US as well.

  • Joe_thousandaire Joe_thousandaire on Sep 28, 2011

    Funny how people loved the oil industry right until the price of gas got high. No one cares about the geopolitical/environmental impact of 'big-oil' until it hits their wallets, then the whole industry is evil. Even though the oil companies have no actual influence on the price of crude.

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