FCA Vehicles Have High APEAL in JD Power Study

If you’re looking for yet another reason to buy a Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram vehicle, we’ve got one for you. J.D. Power released its 2018 Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study and all Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brands have improved since last year.

For the second year in a row, the Chrysler Pacifica earned the title of Top Minivan. Dodge and Jeep were in the top three most improved brands, while Ram and Dodge placed in the top five mass-market brands — third and fourth, respectively.

“My colleagues and I are pleased to see continued improvement across all of our brands and the second consecutive win for our segment-leading Chrysler Pacifica minivan,” FCA Head of Quality Scott Garberding said in a press release. “We are focused on building a bridge of sustained quality into our future vehicles as we look to bring industry-leading innovation into our forthcoming lineup while also remaining committed to the award-winning vehicles in our existing product portfolio.”

In addition to the Chrysler Pacifica taking the top spot in the minivan segment, the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 did well in their category too. The Charger and 300 were ranked second and third, respectively, in the Large Car segment.

The J.D. Power 2018 APEAL Study has been conducted for the last 23 years and it takes customer evaluations of 77 vehicle attributes ( of new 2018 model-year vehicles and how gratifying they are to own and drive. The five main categories are Overall Performance and Design, Performance, Comfort, Style and Features and Instrument Panel

The APEAL study takes place at the same time as the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study and customers are surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The vehicles with the highest appeal are those where that are sold for higher transaction prices, have greater owner loyalty and when customers spend less time at dealer lots before purchasing.