General Motors’ Cadillac brand has climbed to the top of the latest customer satisfaction survey, tying perennial top-scorer Lexus. Overall, all three Detroit automakers showed marked improvements in the survey, taking three of the top five spots.

According to the University of Michigan’s annual study of customer satisfaction, Cadillac tied Lexus for the top spot, notching a score of 89 in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Cadillac sat in the number two position behind Lexus last year.

Buick and Lincoln-Mercury also made the top five, tying for third in the survey with a score of 88. Honda also was in the mix for third with a score of 88.

Overall, the Detroit automakers improved their average score by 2 points, tallying a mark of 83 in this year’s survey. That figure compares favorably to the Asian automaker’s score of 84 points. European car makers topped the list with an average score of 86 points.

Ironically, the Detroit automakers appear to be improving customer satisfaction due to lower sales. Many disgruntled Big Three customers have moved on to other brands, leaving a smaller group of satisfied customers.

“This is going to be more sustainable than having a large, diversified mass of buyers, who tend to be less satisfied than the customers of competition,” Claes Fornell, director of the University of Michigan’s national quality research center, told Automotive News. “Not only is a smaller, more-satisfied customer base less difficult to grow, it is also much easier to defend against competitive inroads.”

GM’s sales have declined 37.7 percent this year with Chrysler’s sales off 42 percent. Ford’s sales have dropped 29.7 percent this year, although its overall market share is up. On the whole, U.S. car sales are down 32.1 percent this year.