Three Dodge Models Top Their Segments in J.D. Power and Associates 2011 APEAL Study

The Dodge brand earned three awards as the Dodge Challenger, Charger and Durango led their segments in the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study(SM).

The Dodge Charger ranked highest in the Large Car segment and was the
most improved model in the industry. The Dodge Challenger scored highest
in the Midsize Sporty Car class and Dodge Durango took the top spot in
the Midsize Crossover/SUV segment.

The Jeep brand improved by 32 points and Chrysler increased by 27 points
compared to the industry’s average improvement of three points.

“We’ve listened to our customers and made significant improvements
across the product line, launching 16 all-new or extensively updated
vehicles in the past year,” said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President —
Quality, Chrysler Group. “We worked very hard to make our vehicles truly
competitive with the best vehicles in their respective segments. It’s
nice to see this effort being recognized by our customers.”

According to J.D. Power and Associates, vehicles with high APEAL scores
generate faster sales, higher profit margins, and less need for cash
incentives. High levels of vehicle appeal also influence customer
recommendation rates.

In the recently announced J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Initial Quality
Study (SM) (IQS), the Dodge Challenger and the Chrysler Town &
Country ranked highest in their respective segments for initial quality.

The APEAL Study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and
drive, based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes.
Unlike IQS, which measures short-term quality, the APEAL Study
identifies consumer likes and dislikes about their vehicle during the
first 90 days of ownership, particularly regarding vehicle design,
content, layout and performance.

“Different customers have different opinions about what makes a quality
vehicle,” Betts explained. “At Chrysler Group, we define and measure six
different types of quality. We’ve set aggressive internal targets and
our progress is starting to show up in third-party surveys as well.”