Dodge Ranks No. 1 in 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study
Photo: FCA
For the first time in history, a domestic brand — Dodge — has earned the top spot in the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. And, that’s just the start of the good news for FCA.
Available Now: 2020 Dodge Journey
“The Initial Quality Study is the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality and, year after year, automakers apply the insights they learn from consumers to make positive changes,” said Dave Sargent, vice president of automotive quality at J.D. Power.
Photo: FCA
With its lineup sporting a redesign, Ram secured the third spot in the study, a major jump from last year’s ranking at 21. Two FCA plants, the Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico and the Belvidere Plant in Illinois, earned a Gold award and Bronze award, respectively. The Jeep Compass and Dodge Journey are manufactured at the Toluca plant, while the Jeep Cherokee rolls off the assembly line at the Belvidere plant. Jeep achieved its highest ranking in the study, too, with an 11th place finish.
Photo: FCA
“The fact that the top plants in each region are outside of the traditional areas of the U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, and Korea is a sign of just how global the auto industry has become,” said Doug Betts, president of the automotive division at J.D. Power.
The final milestone for FCA is the better-than-industry-average ranking it received in the study (fourth place); a first for the automaker.
“These results reflect the relentless, whatever-it-takes attitude of our team,” said Mark Champine, Head of Quality, FCA — North America. “Our complete focus is the customer and these outcomes reinforce that we are on-target. The team is going to be inspired and motivated and will continue to push forward.”
Check Out: The 2020 Jeep Compass
The J.D. Power Initial Quality Study evaluates owners’ experience with their new vehicles over the first 90 days. The 2020 study marks the 34th year of the IQS.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.