In a surprising turn of events, Alfa Romeo, the Italian luxury car brand known for its excitement, has claimed the top spot in JD Power's Initial Quality report. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Alfa Romeo, as it surpasses frequent winner Lexus, a brand renowned for its consistent high rankings in quality surveys. The brand's success is part of a broader transformation within the automotive industry, including several other auto brands under the Stellantis umbrella.
Notably, the only two non-luxury brands that outperformed Alfa Romeo in the overall rankings were also part of Stellantis. This multinational automotive manufacturer, formed through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and France's PSA in 2021, has implemented robust processes to enhance quality across its portfolio. Even as the industry faced challenges, every Stellantis brand improved in the rankings compared to the previous year.
For potential car buyers, this signifies that brands previously overlooked may now offer exceptional quality. According to the survey's "problems per 100 vehicles" metric, Stellantis' Dodge secured the top position, followed by its US truck brand, Ram. Alfa Romeo climbed an impressive 24 places to claim the third spot overall, with 143 problems per 100 vehicles. These positive results highlight the effectiveness of Stellantis' efforts to address historical quality concerns.
Although not all Stellantis brands reached the top rankings, Chrysler notably made significant progress compared to the previous year, moving up from last place to second to last among brands with sufficient survey data. However, it remains the only Stellantis brand with a score below the industry average. In contrast, last year saw four Stellantis brands, including Ram and Alfa Romeo, below average.
JD Power's Initial Quality Study extends beyond mechanical failures and also considers customer preferences and dislikes, even if the vehicle is functioning properly. The survey reflects the rising expectations of customers, who seek more than just a lack of outright failures. It can sometimes be challenging for owners to differentiate between broken components and design flaws, especially with complex technological features.
To achieve these quality improvements, Stellantis merged the best practices of both companies to swiftly identify and resolve issues. For Alfa Romeo, a significant step involved streamlining the number of product versions and option combinations available. By reducing the complexity, the brand significantly improved the quality assurance process at the manufacturing stage.
While other analysts may assess quality differently, the remarkable improvements observed in Alfa Romeo's performance may take time to reflect in their scores. Consumer Reports, for example, evaluates vehicle reliability based on its subscribers' experiences over the past three years. Nevertheless, Alfa Romeo's strides toward enhanced quality are evident and bode well for its future.