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Dodge and Ram are celebrating two major wins in customer approval ratings. The wins are huge because they are decided by the buyers themselves and they come from one of the most respected companies in the auto world. Both Dodge and Ram placed at the top of the J.D. Power APEAL Study for the fifth straight year. The APEAL Study measures customer feedback on current-model attributes – from exterior styling to fuel efficiency – during the first three months of ownership. The 2023 Dodge Challenger claims top honors in the midsize sporty car segment and the 2023 Ram 1500 finishes second among large light-duty pickups.
“This outcome demonstrates that the pursuit of superior customer experience is firmly entrenched in our culture,” says Bill Kendell, who assumed leadership of Stellantis North America’s customer experience organization on July 1. “Our motto is, ‘Every Customer Counts; Every Journey Matters.’
“These are more than just words to us,” Kendell adds. “At Stellantis, customer experience is a vocation. Now we have to take this data and really dive deep.”
Precedent-Setting Honors for Both Dodge and Ram
Dodge came in first among mass-market brands for the fourth consecutive year. According to Dodge, it is the only domestic brand ever to achieve such a streak. Ram takes second place in mass-market segment for fourth straight year. 2023 marks the fifth straight year Dodge and Ram have owned the top two spots in the J.D. Power APEAL Study mass-market brand rankings, which is remarkable.
As we first reported last month, Dodge and Ram placed first and second in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study. Dodge is the only domestic brand to finish first in J.D. Power APEAL Study and J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) in the same year, among mass-market brands.
2023 Dodge Challenger’s Ultimate Bow
To me, the 2023 Dodge Challenger’s first place finish seems bittersweet. Dodge is ending its run of popular HEMI-powered muscle cars with the 2023 model year. We have published several articles about the special edition “Last Call” models. It is wonderful to see the muscle cars go out on top but sad to see them drive off into the sunset. Dodge has a concept of what the 2024 electric muscle car will look like in the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept EV, but for gearheads, the loss of the historic HEMI will be a sad milestone.
"Dodge didn't win this award, we accepted it on behalf of the Brotherhood,” says Tim Kuniskis, Dodge brand and Ram brand CEO - Stellantis. “We have listened and learned from them. Those lessons will inform our product development as we redefine American muscle for the next era.”
What is especially important about Dodge and Ram’s high customer approval rating is that it goes against the industry trend. Dodge improved its scores by five points and Ram improved by ten points, while the rest of the industry saw most of its scores fall.
Dodge Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @MaryConwayMedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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