Dodge ranks No. 1 in J.D. Power Initial Quality Study

Muscat: Dodge has made history with its performance in the 2020 US J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS).
Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)’s performance brand tied for the top spot among 31 competitors, becoming the first American brand ever to achieve a No. 1 ranking in the prestigious study’s 34-year run.
RAM followed closely, rising to a third-place tie from its 21st position last year, and it did so on the strength of its multi-award winning, fresh product – the redesigned 1500 full-size pickup and a significantly upgraded lineup of heavy-duty trucks including the legendary 2500 Power Wagon.
Jeep also achieved its best-ever ranking in the annual study, which analyzes vehicle performance during the first three months of ownership. Jeep, Ram and Dodge all achieved results above the industry average, bolstering their position among the most successful car manufacturers in the American market.
The results come as FCA announces new initiatives to support its customer service in the Middle East. Building on the success of its ‘Car@home’ program which allows customers to order test drives to their doorstep, the group has now rolled out iShowroom, a virtual dealer process, in the region.
iShowroom is a digital sales tool that contains information about every model of every FCA brand, features and benefits, extensive information and videos about how key features work, brand advertising, animations and videos, allowing showroom visitors and customers to make model-to-model comparisons and helping sales consultants match the correct models to customers’ needs. Also integrated within iShowroom is the OwnerSupport+ tool, which allows customers to have a complete digital delivery experience for their new vehicle purchase.
Jeff Ellsworth, Head of Dodge Brand at FCA Middle East, said: “We are proud to be the first American brand to take the number one spot and will work twice as hard to remain at the top. First and foremost, that means continuing to prioritize our customers’ journey with our brands, and ensuring their constant satisfaction.’’
FCA’s overall performance surged five spots to a fourth-place finish among the 15 companies assessed by J.D. Power. This marks the first time in the study’s history that FCA outperformed the industry average. J.D. Power uses ‘reported problems per 100 vehicles’ as its measure. FCA’s total of 153 was 13 less than the industry average and 10 less than its nearest competitor.
In the Sultanate, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler and RAM models are available at Dhofar Automotive showrooms with different equipment classes.