Chrysler Group Wins Five Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- 

• Chrysler Town & Country wins Polk Loyalty Award for record 13th consecutive year
• Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler win their respective SUV categories, Grand Cherokee for fifth time
• Dodge Challenger wins third Polk Loyalty Award for Non-Luxury Sport Mid-size Car
• Fiat 500 wins Non-Luxury Traditional Subcompact Car

The Chrysler Group starts off the 2014 calendar year by winning five Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards, presented by IHS Automotive. The Chrysler Town & Country won its 13th consecutive Loyalty Award taking the Non-Luxury Mid-size Van category, extending its own record of consecutive wins. The Jeep Grand Cherokee won its fifth award in the Non-Luxury Mid-size SUV category and the Dodge Challenger took Non-Luxury Sport Mid-size Car honors for the third time. Jeep Wrangler nabbed the Non-Luxury Compact SUV award and the Fiat 500 won the Non-Luxury Traditional Subcompact Car category, both winning their first Polk Loyalty Awards.

"Chrysler Group's emphasis on owner loyalty across their lineup is an indicator that the organization is truly working with consumers to bring them back," said Jeffrey Anderson, director of loyalty and source of sales solutions at Southfield, Mich.-based IHS Automotive, a division of research and analytics firm IHS. "To see five awards across multiple segments is impressive, and Town & Country's run is unprecedented."  

The Polk Loyalty Awards recognize manufacturers for superior owner loyalty performance, which is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle returns to market and purchases or leases another new vehicle of the same model or make. The 2013 awards are based on an analysis of more than 7.4 million new vehicle owners who bought new vehicles again during the 2013 model year.

"Winning five Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards is proof-positive of Chrysler Group's drive to build the best vehicles on the market," said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales, Chrysler Group LLC. "Customers will only come back if they trust their vehicles to deliver flawless quality and reliability, and these awards speak volumes about Chrysler Group's extensive vehicle lineup."

Chrysler Town & Country

The 2014 Chrysler Town & Country minivan is celebrating its 30th anniversary as one of the leading innovators in the segment it created back in late 1983. The world-class interior of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan is beautifully crafted with high-quality materials that are soft to the touch, and offers tech-savvy entertainment features and smart storage and seating options including Stow 'n Go® seating with one-touch fold-down function, class-exclusive dual Blu-ray DVD entertainment system, navigation and SIRIUSXM satellite radio with Travel Link making the Chrysler Town & Country the ultimate family vehicle. A 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine produces a best-in-class 283 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a fuel economizer mode delivering up to 25 miles per gallon highway.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Jeep Grand Cherokee completely redefines the premium SUV, delivering an unprecedented combination of best-in-class fuel economy and driving range, available clean-diesel technology, legendary benchmark capability, world-class craftsmanship, and a host of advanced user-friendly technology and safety features. For 2014, Grand Cherokee offers a new EcoDiesel engine with best-in-class 30 mpg highway and an unmatched driving range of more than 730 miles.  A new eight-speed transmission drives all Grand Cherokee engines, including the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 - achieving up to 25 mpg and more than 600 miles driving range - and the 5.7-liter V-8, now achieving up to 22 mpg.

Jeep Wrangler

The iconic Jeep Wrangler - the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world – is equipped with a  3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine delivering 285 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque and up to 21 miles per gallon. 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 transmission.

Dodge Challenger

With record sales levels since the reintroduction of the Challenger in 2008, the Dodge brand's performance icon continues to deliver exactly what muscle car enthusiasts want – a powerful and efficient engine lineup, iconic muscle-car design with numerous personalization packages. Dodge Challenger combines world-class ride, refinement and braking performance with more power and a track-tuned suspension to deliver a thrilling driving experience. With its award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine producing 305 horsepower and an impressive 25 mpg highway, the Dodge Challenger is the most powerful, refined and technologically advanced entry-level Challenger ever. And now with the return of "Scat Package" performance stage kits, plus the enthusiast-demanded Shaker performance hood with its HEMI® V-8 engine-mounted, fully floating scoop and exposed high-flow element for cold-air induction – the new 2014 Challenger R/T Shaker delivers up to 375 horsepower, performance and even more heritage-inspired style for the most hardcore Dodge enthusiasts.

Fiat 500

Reminiscent of the original 500 or "Cinquecento" born in 1957, the new Fiat 500 builds on the vehicle's global popularity. Since its initial launch on July 4, 2007 more than 1,000,000 Fiat 500 vehicles have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has earned more than 80 international awards, including being named the 2008 European Car of the Year, 2009 World Car Design of the Year and Best New Engine of 2010 (Fiat MultiAir® Turbo). In the U.S., the 2012 Fiat 500 was named "Best Buy" in the subcompact category by Consumers Digest and was deemed a "Top Safety Pick" by the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC