Are Chryslers Still Junk?

Chrysler has tried to rebuild its image under the management of Italian car company Fiat. The number three U.S. manufacturer even makes money. The issue that continues to nag the firm is whether anyone thinks that it makes good cars.

The University of Michigan Business School, American Society for Quality, and the CFI Group publish the American Customer Satisfaction Index, which shows that Chrysler models rank at the very bottom of the automobile industry.

Even worse news for Chrysler is that its rankings are slipping as time passes. A grade of 84 is mediocre in the ACSI research. Chrysler received at 76 for the second quarter, down from 80 in 2006 and 2008, a period during which the car company was basically on a respirator. The Jeep brand received a 79 for the last quarter, as did Dodge. The only other brand that ranked so low was Mazda, which barely sells a vehicle in the U.S.

Even cars aimed at the mid-priced part of the market did better than Chrysler. VW scored 84 and Buick 85. Luxury car brands did especially well. Cadillac and Lexus got grades of 87 — the top among brands on the ACSI list.

Chrysler has been the  runt of the American car industry in terms of size and perceived product quality since Lee Iacocca retired. Objectively, Chrysler may make better cars now than it did before it emerged from Chapter 11. Many people just don’t think so.

Douglas A. McIntyre