Chrysler Claims Vehicle Quality Rivals Toyota After Survey Gains
Chrysler says its reliability is now close to Toyota’s, following strong results in the 2013 Strategic Vision Total Quality Index, but third-party metrics still show a gap.
Chrysler’s senior vice president of quality, Doug Betts, said in May 2013 that the gap in vehicle reliability between Chrysler and Toyota had narrowed to the point where it should not deter buyers. The claim followed the company’s best performance yet in Strategic Vision’s annual Total Quality Index, with four Chrysler Group models topping their segments.
The 2013 Total Quality Index, based on feedback from over 17,500 new car buyers, saw the Chrysler 200 Convertible, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Dart and Dodge Durango each finish first in their respective categories. By comparison, in 2008, before Fiat’s acquisition, Chrysler had managed only one category win out of 19, highlighting a marked improvement in perceived quality and satisfaction.
Survey results and industry benchmarks
Betts, who joined Chrysler from Toyota and Nissan, said the company still benchmarks Toyota for reliability. He acknowledged that third-party metrics continue to show Toyota ahead, but argued the difference is now small enough that buyers should also consider factors such as driving feel, design and features. "We still benchmark Toyota. Toyota’s very good at reliability. I believe that we have gotten close enough on reliability to Toyota that it shouldn’t be a reason for somebody not to buy our cars," Betts said at the time.
Chrysler’s improvement comes after years of lagging behind Japanese brands in both reliability and owner satisfaction. The company’s previous struggles were linked to supplier and production issues, which Fiat management sought to address after taking control. The latest survey results suggest those efforts were having an effect by 2013, though Betts conceded that some independent measures still placed Chrysler behind Toyota.
How the results compare to Toyota
Toyota has long set the standard for reliability in mass-market vehicles, frequently topping independent quality and dependability rankings. While Chrysler’s gains in the Total Quality Index reflect improved customer perceptions, other third-party studies at the time, such as those by J.D. Power and Consumer Reports, continued to rank Toyota ahead on objective reliability metrics. Betts acknowledged this, but maintained the narrowing gap meant reliability alone should not be a deciding factor for buyers choosing between the two brands.
What it means for Chrysler and buyers
For Chrysler, closing the quality gap with Toyota was a critical goal in rebuilding its reputation and sales following Fiat’s takeover. The improved survey results gave Chrysler a stronger position in marketing and dealer showrooms, where reliability concerns had previously hurt sales. For buyers, the evidence in 2013 suggested Chrysler’s new models were much closer to Japanese rivals in perceived quality, though independent data still pointed to some remaining differences in long-term reliability.
The company’s progress on quality was also relevant to its ongoing product launches and efforts to expand in North America and beyond. As the market continued to scrutinise recalls and reliability issues, such as those affecting Toyota models in the same era, Chrysler’s gains in owner satisfaction metrics were a notable step in its post-bankruptcy recovery.
