Companies work hard at their brand image. It goes into their logo, how they advertise, who their spokespeople are, the events they sponsor, and so on. It is all so when someone mentions the brand name, one instantly conjures an image and associated values. But it all goes down the tube if the products don’t meet the image. That’s why Benna CDJR is proud to announce Dodge as the winner of KBB’s Best Performance Brand and most refined Brand Image Awards.
Brand Image Backed by Brand Reality
Dodge has long presented itself as the brand of American muscle cars, led by the rear-drive Charger sport-sedan and the rear-drive Challenger coupe. Models that didn’t deliver on that image, like front-drive minivans, compact, and mid-size sedans, were sent packing.
The Durango 3-row crossover has been given the Dodge treatment as exemplified by the 2023 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, powered by the Challenger Hellcat’s supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine producing 710 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque. No other model in the segment comes close to that kind of power, firmly establishing Durango as the “American Muscle” of its segment.
In saying farewell to the two models most responsible for its image, Dodge issued seven “Last Call” special editions of Chargers and Challengers with specific performance and styling packages. This is topped off by the final Last Call model, the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170, boasting an astounding 1025 horsepower on E85 fuel.
The Study that Led to the Awards
Dodge products truly drive the image, and people notice. This new honor marks the fifth consecutive year Dodge has been recognized with a KBB.com Brand Image Award. The Awards are based on consumer automotive perceptions found in Kelley Blue Book’s Brand Watch tracking study. The study, in turn, gathers data from more than 12,000 in-market new-vehicle shoppers annually who access KBB.com. It offers insight into how shoppers perceive important factors driving their purchase decisions, including brand/model familiarity, impressions, as well as brand loyalty among new-car shoppers. The study tracks 12 factors important to shoppers across all segments.
The Best Performance Brand Award was based on ratings of non-truck models strictly on the perception of “Driving Performance”. Kelley Blue Book cited Dodge models as “bred for high performance, featuring massive power and torque for an exhilarating, unforgettable driving experience.” The Most Refined Brand Award is broader Also, based on the ratings of non-truck models, it hones in on four factors: driving comfort, interior layout, technology, and prestige/sophistication.
“We are honored by this recognition from Kelley Blue Book, especially as we double down on our brand’s commitment to performance,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand chief executive officer – Stellantis. “The all-new Dodge Hornet GT is shipping now to dealerships, disrupting the status quo of the mainstream CUV segment with class-exclusive and best-in-class performance features.”
Future Muscle
Indeed, the Dodge Hornet enters the popular mid-size crossover segment in typical Dodge fashion but with a foot planted in the future. The halo model is the R/T Plug-in hybrid with class-leading 288 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque, plus “PowerShot” which supplies a temporary burst of 30 additional horsepower.
Looking a little further into the future is the Charger Daytona SRT Concept, which shows electric propulsion with a vehicle that looks, drives, feels, and even sounds like a Dodge.
As long as there is Dodge, there will be American Muscle on the road. We invite you to visit Benna DCJR soon to see the newest Muscle in the form of the Hornet and Durango, as well as the last of the iconic Charger and Challenger models. We can even track down the nearest of any of the seven “Last Call” models.
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