Stellantis rules the podium in the latest US J.D. Power survey

Stellantis occupied the top three spots in the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality study (IQS) in the US. The survey interrogates new-vehicle buyers about their first three months of ownership and tracks problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) to measure a brand’s performance.

Dodge, maker of the American icon Charger, took the top spot overall this year with 140 PP100. Dodge’s truck spin-off, Ram, was a close second with 141 PP100, while third-placed Alfa Romeo scored 143 PP100.

Brands that showed the largest year-over-year improvement are Maserati (73 PP100 improvement), Alfa Romeo (68 PP100 improvement) and Ram (45 PP100 improvement).     

“This result is a source of great pride for Alfa Romeo, the natural consequence of the exceptional work done by the whole team,” said Jean Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo, which markets the Stelvio, Tonale and Guilia sedan. “The extreme attention we pay to quality begins in our factories in Italy and remains alongside our customer. This achievement demonstrates we are on the right path.”

Owners polled in the 2023 J.D. Power study highlighted industry-wide problems such as poorly positioned cupholders, user-unfriendly door handles (as manufacturers attempt to redesign them), and safety technology foibles (lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist and forward collision warning systems).

Owners are increasingly happier with smartphone apps as the market penetration rate grows. Electric-vehicle owners in particular use their app at least 68% of the time, primarily to monitor the charging process and to view their vehicle’s available range.