Ram, Dodge Dominate JD Power 2021 Initial Quality Study
Photo: FCA
Ram and Dodge ranked first and second, respectively, in the J.D. Power 2021 Initial Quality Study. These brands had the smallest number of problems per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of new vehicle ownership.
Take a Look at the Other Awards Won: Recent Stellantis awards
How did the brands get high rankings?
Photo: FCA
Ram had a score of 128 problems per 100 vehicles. This year is the first-ever time the brand has earned the highest ranking, and the first time any truck-only brand has topped the Initial Quality Study.
Ram came in 21st back in 2019 and tied for third in 2020, showing large improvements in quality. The Ram 1500 also had the second-highest ranking in the large light duty pickup segment, and the Ram 2500 and 3500 came in first in the large heavy duty pickup category.
Photo: FCA
Dodge had the second-best ranking overall with 139 PP100. The Charger also came in third place in the large car segment. Last year, the brand topped the Initial Quality Study and was the first domestic brand ever to do so.
Photo: FCA
While Jeep didn’t perform as well as the other Stellantis brands, it still had its best finish yet, landing in the eighth spot with 149 PP100. This is up three spots from last year. The Grand Cherokee had a third-place finish in the midsize SUV category, and the Gladiator was the highest-ranked midsize pickup.
Chrysler didn’t fare so well in the study, coming in last place with 251 PP100 — well below the industry average of 162 PP100. However, the Chrysler 300 was still the second-best large car, right above the Dodge Charger.
Overall, six Stellantis vehicles either won or were the runners-up in their respective segments, which accounts for half of the eligible Stellantis vehicles. It will be interesting to see if Ram continues to lead the Initial Quality Study next year and if Chrysler makes some improvements by then.
Amanda Drago lives in West Chester, Ohio with her wonderful family, which includes her adorable dog, Coco. Amanda recently graduated from Miami University with degrees in both marketing and creative writing. However, if she was ever forced to change career paths, she imagines that she would train dogs for movies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching Netflix. She also has a special place in her heart for theatre and purchases tickets to as many shows as she can. See more articles by Amanda.