Dodge again finished first in the 2023 annual J.D. Power U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) Study among mass-market (non-luxury) brands. This marks the fourth straight year Dodge has taken first place in the study. Dodge became the only brand to earn a first-place ranking for three consecutive years in 2022, and winning a fourth consecutive year strengthens that record. Just behind, Stellantis sibling Ram took second place, also for the fourth consecutive year.
Doing things Right Year After Year
Bolstering the victory even further is that Dodge also took first place among mass-market brands in this year’s J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). This makes Dodge the only domestic brand to achieve both top positions in the same year.
Unlike the IQS study, which basically charts “things gone wrong”, the APEAL study surveys what people like and don’t like about their vehicles’ performance, design, and operation. Because their positions were switched four years ago, this marks the fifth consecutive year Dodge and Ram have taken the top two positions in the study. Dodge and Ram’s continual top-ranking positions show that people who purchased Dodge and Ram models really like their vehicles, mathematically better than any other non-luxury brand.
“This outcome demonstrates that the pursuit of superior customer experience is firmly entrenched in our culture,” says Bill Kendell, who assumed leadership of Stellantis North America’s customer experience organization on July 1. “Our motto is, ‘Every Customer Counts; Every Journey Matters.’
“These are more than just words to us,” Kendell adds. “At Stellantis, customer experience is a vocation. Now we have to take this data and really dive deep.”
Bucking the Industry Trend
Also noteworthy is that Dodge and Ram improved upon their 2022 APEAL scores by five and 10 points respectively, while scores for the industry as a whole declined.
Unsurprisingly, each brand had a model that ranked high in their segment. The 2023 Dodge Challenger, the brand’s second best-selling model, ranked first in the Midsize Sporty segment. Ram’s 2023 best seller, the Ram 1500, ranks second among Large Light-Duty Pickups.
“Dodge didn’t win this award, we accepted it on behalf of the Brotherhood,” says Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand and Ram brand CEO – Stellantis. “We have listened and learned from them. Those lessons will inform our product development as we redefine American muscle for the next era.”
That next era comes soon. Dodge is saying goodbye to its Challenger and Charger muscle cars this year, but also recently launched the 2024 Hornet crossover, which claims the highest standard power in its class and includes a plug-in hybrid version – Dodge’s first. For its part, Ram will be launching two fully-electric vehicles in the form of the Ram Promaster electric van and the Ram 1500 REV full-size light-duty pickup.
As mentioned, Dodge’s and Ram’s customers are very happy with their purchases. If you would like to be one of those happy customers, pay a visit to Benna Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and take a close look at the models from both brands.
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