Hispanic Motor Press Awards® Selects All-new Chrysler Pacifica and Jeep® Wrangler as 2017 Autos del Año©

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Nov 18, 2016, 11:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

The Hispanic Motor Press Awards® recognize the most outstanding all-new vehicles in the United States to go on sale in the 12 months preceding the award
Design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and value are the criteria evaluated by the judges to select segment winners
The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica reinvents the minivan segment with an unprecedented level of functionality, versatility, technology and bold styling
Jeep Wrangler 75th Anniversary Edition voted winner of Adventure 4x4 category

Two FCA US LLC vehicles were recognized within their segments as Autos del Año® (Cars of the Year) during the seventh annual Hispanic Motor Press Awards® (HMPA) at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica earned top honors in the minivan segment and the Jeep® Wrangler 75th Anniversary Edition earned the award in the Adventure 4x4 segment.

"There is nothing like the original minivan, and with the Pacifica, Chrysler gets back to the top of the minivan segment," said Ricardo Rodriguez-Long, president of the Hispanic Motor Press. "The all-new Pacifica offers the convenience, safety and value that all Hispanic families are looking for."

A committee of 16 Hispanic automotive journalists and influencers test drove approximately 100 vehicles for the 2017 HMPA Autos del Año. The jurors seek to find the single model in each category that is the best value in the market for Hispanic families. All facets of the vehicles are evaluated, including design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and value.

"There is no other 4x4 on the market that can truly embody what adventure means like the Jeep Wrangler," said Rodriguez-Long. "For the Hispanic consumer, Jeep is all about adventure."

Eligible vehicles considered for the awards must be all-new models and available to consumers in all 50 of the United States. This year's panel of experts drove new cars throughout the year to evaluate the attributes best suited for the Hispanic consumer.

About Chrysler Pacifica
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica reinvents the minivan segment with an unprecedented level of functionality, versatility, technology and bold styling. Re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform, the Pacifica delivers class-leading gasoline and hybrid powertrains to the minivan segment. With more than 100 available safety and security features, the all-new Uconnect Theater rear seat entertainment system, and a full array of comfort and convenience technologies, the Chrysler Pacifica is a no-compromises minivan ideally suited for today's families and has earned its spot as the most awarded minivan of the year.

About Jeep Wrangler
The iconic 2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited – the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world – features a standard eight-speaker audio system and an optional Premium Alpine Audio Package that includes nine Alpine speakers, a subwoofer and a 552-watt amplifier. The 2017 Jeep Wrangler delivers unmatched off-road capability with legendary four-wheel drive and is produced with more than seven decades of 4x4 engineering experience. Wrangler continues to offer a body-on-frame design, front and rear five-link suspension system, live axles, electronic lockers, and is one of the few mid-size SUVs that offer a six-speed manual transmission, in addition to its five-speed automatic.

About the Hispanic Motor Press Awards
Since 2010 the objective of the Hispanic Motor Press Awards has been to select the best offerings in overall design, comfort, safety, performance, functionality, driver satisfaction and consumer final cost to select the vehicles that offer the best value for the Hispanic family. The Hispanic consumer deserves to know the truth about which vehicles are the best values in the market. For more information and to find out about previous winning vehicles, visit www.hispanicmotorpressawards.com.

About FCA US LLC
FCA US LLC is a North American automaker with a new name and a long history. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, FCA US is a member of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) family of companies. FCA US designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, as well as the SRT performance vehicle designation. The company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C model and Mopar products. FCA US is building upon the historic foundations of Chrysler, the innovative American automaker first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925; and Fiat, founded in Italy in 1899 by pioneering entrepreneurs, including Giovanni Agnelli.

FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total annual vehicle sales, is an international automotive group. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FCAU" and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCA."

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