Dodge further extends its dominance as a compelling favorite, claiming top spot among mass-market brands for the third straight year, according to the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Automotive Performance Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study™.
On the heels of identical successes in 2021 and 2020, Dodge also becomes the first domestic brand to capture the No. 1 mass-market ranking three years in a row.
Ram reprises its second-place performances in 2021 and 2020 in the mass-market segment, anchored by the Ram 1500’s third consecutive win as best large light-duty pickup.
Including Ram’s first-place finish ahead of Dodge in 2019, these latest results mark the fourth consecutive year the brands have owned the top two spots in the APEAL Study’s mass-market rankings.
“We don’t just design, engineer, build and sell function,” says U.S. Head of Sales Jeff Kommor. “We instill our vehicles with character that enriches the lives of our customers every day. So, it’s immensely satisfying to see our products resonate with such consistency.”
APEAL rates the emotional bond between customers. This is determined from customer feedback about a range of vehicle attributes, from ingress and egress, to driving comfort, during the first three months of ownership.
The feedback is then aggregated on an overall 1,000-point APEAL index.
Dodge and Ram were rated 882 and 863, respectively. The Jeep® brand’s total was 845, up 15 points from last year for the largest surge of any mass-market marque, and good for a climb to eighth position from 15th.
The Jeep brand benefited most from the all-new Grand Wagoneer, which earned top honors among large premium SUVs, and the all-new Wagoneer, which claimed first place among large SUVs.
“The reception given these stylish, tech-rich vehicles is another clear indication of the alignment between customer demands and our product-development process,” Kommor says. “And we are not letting up on the throttle.”
