Stopping Hyundai’s success? Not likely.

A great article posted on Boston.com:

CHICAGO—The Hyundai phenomenon ranks as one of the most impressive business turnarounds of the past quarter century. The company went from being both a punch line and punching bag to slugging it out for supremacy in the United States market.

It’s a symbol of how far the company has come that the compact Elantra sedan was voted North American Car of the Year for 2011, and Hyundai was No. 6 in US car and light truck sales last year. If you combined Hyundai and sibling Kia’s sales last year, they’d have been No. 4 overall behind Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota, all of whom have pickup trucks as significant parts of their sales portfolios.

And there’s more growth in sight. Earlier this month at the Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai president and CEO John Krafcik introduced two variations of the Elantra sedan—a two-door coupe and five-door GT (hatchback).

Joe Weisenfelder, executive editor of Chicago-based Cars.com, boils the Hyundai success story into a simple explanation.

“Hyundai encapsulates the saying that industry executives always use; namely, ‘It’s all about Product.’ They use Product in the singular and say ‘There’s no problem that Product can’t solve.’ They always use that line, then they throw lots of money into the marketing budget instead,” he says.

“And Hyundai’s product has become very good. They worked relentlessly on their shortcomings and got to where they were doing pretty well with quality and features, but they still were a little behind on things like fuel efficiency and crash tests.”

No longer.

“Look at the most recent products, the Sonata and Elantra. They’ve got good crash test results, and fuel efficiency is quite high. We can argue EPA ratings but the Elantra is rated at 40 miles per gallon on the highway with either manual or automatic transmission. Some of their competitors are advertising that 40 mpg, too, but often it’s with a special version such as the Cruze ECO or Focus SFE,” says Weisenfelder.

Krafcik, the CEO, addressed those mpg figures in Chicago, calling attention to a Popular Mechanics test of the Elantra and Focus. “At 55 mph the Elantra achieved 47.6 mpg and the (Ford) Focus 47.5,” he said. “Then, at 70 mph, the Elantra got 39.3 mph and the Focus 33.5.”

While introducing the coupe and GT, Hyundai’s Michael O’Brien, vice president of product (that word again) and corporate planning, said that as American consumers consider downsizing for fuel economy, they still want premium content and choices.

Why a coupe? “Singles don’t want a sedan because that screams ‘family,’ ” he says. “and driving enthusiasts will be attracted to the GT because it has European driving characteristics, emotional and streamlined styling and more interior space than competitors for an active lifestyle.”

Krafcik didn’t seem fazed by President Obama’s fleet goal of 54.5 mpg by 2025, noting that Hyundai had a 36.1 fleet average in 2011, a number that rose to 36.7 this January. “We’ve got six variants with 40 mph ratings,” he said, enumerating them: the Accent sedan and five-door, the Veloster, Elantra coupe and sedan, and Sonata hybrid.

It seems that Hyundai (that’s Hyundai-as-in-Sunday) has supplanted Honda as the reigning mpg champion.

Cars.com’s Weisenfelder has an explanation.

“Hyundai is keeping weight down. As a result, their vehicles tend to be a bit noisier inside. When Honda was the undisputed fuel efficiency leader, their vehicles had the same issue. They tended to favor fuel efficiency over noise reduction. The simple fact is that you have to add weight to cancel noise.”

Some Hyundai news of note:
• The company last month announced a lifetime hybrid battery guarantee for the 2012 Sonata hybrid—an industry first. It’s reminiscent of the 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty the company used to attract buyers as it originally climbed back from irrelevancy. Says Hyundai’s O’Brien, “Even with all the hybrid vehicle options on the market today, there is still limited demand for these vehicles because of barriers to customer adoption such as uncertainty about the technology and performance. By offering this guarantee, Hyundai is addressing customer concerns and demonstrating our confidence in the durability of our product.”
• Hyundai has been the presenting sponsor of the Tournament of Champions golf tournament in Maui for two straight years. The Hyundai Tournament of Champions is the PGA Tour’s season-opening event. Important? Golf attracts an upscale viewer. The sponsorship tells where Hyundai is headed.
• Could it be more racing? Hyundai is in rallycross and drifting and had an electronic racing game in big lights in Times Square this winter.
• Upgraded dealership facilities? That is a major issue for the National Automobile Dealers Assn. Last week, the industry publication Automotive News reported Hyundai was said to be considering having its dealer network make room for a “Genesis” sub-brand area in showrooms for the upscale Genesis and high-end Equus.
• Super Bowl ads. The best had Elantra “tooting its own horn” on a joyride, but others touted the performance (power and handling) of Genesis and Veloster and employee togetherness.

Local dealer Herb Chambers has two Hyundai dealerships.

“Hyundai is really doing well. We’ve been with them since the beginning. In the beginning they were cheap—both in price and the way they were made. Over time, they’ve brought quality up to be comparable to everyone, including the domestics. It used to be Honda and Toyota, and everyone else wasn’t quite as good. That delta has closed.”

Is that just dealer-speak?

“No,” says Chambers. “The domestics are as good. I know because we sell both and the residual values of American cars have gone up. They’re holding their value much better. Before, we could give you a great deal on buying them new, but they weren’t worth as much when it was time to trade. Now that’s turned around. It’s a level playing field. And Hyundai now matches them all.”

And what about that Hyundai styling? Chambers keeps an eye on what’s passing on the roads outside of his dealerships.

“I really like the styling of Hyundai’s cars, but sometimes I’ll see one and ask, ‘What’s that? A Mercedes?’ Then I realize it’s a Hyundai. Mercedes must be ready to strangle these guys because they’re interesting-looking cars.”

Bill Griffith can be reached at WGriffith@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter@MrAutoWriter.

SHOW ME THE CARFAX!

Yep, that’s the CARFAX Fox you see, and we’re a proud CARFAX Advantage Dealer, so that means any Used Car we have, you get a FREE CARFAX Report! All you gotta do is ask!

Hyundai 1.6 liter Gamma engine named to Ward’s 10 Best Engines list

First design, then performance, now its engines? Hyundai sure doesn’t skip a beat. Check out this recently released article on the award-winning engine!  Visit our Cars Plus showroom in Maite where we’d be happy to take you for a joyride in one of our Hyundai Accents!

By: Robin Wulffson, M.D., LA Hyundai Examiner

COSTA MESA, CA––On December 9, Hyundai Motor America announced that, following in the footsteps of Hyundai’s Tau V8 engine, the 1.6-liter GDI Gamma engine, which debuted on the all-new 2012 Accent, has been named one of the Ward’s 10 Best Engines by WardsAuto World.

“Hyundai spent three years on the list with its excellent Tau 5.0-liter V-8, but 2012 brings evidence the auto maker can deliver world-class small engines as well,” writes WardsAuto World Executive Editor, Tom Murphy. “The new 1.6-liter DI Gamma four-cylinder is powering entry level vehicles such as the Hyundai Accent and demonstrates its versatility in the Hyundai Veloster three-door coupe. Mated with an excellent six-speed manual transmission for our evaluation, this package makes the Accent an easy pick for B-class car shoppers. Priced a shade above $14,000, the Gamma-equipped Accent is an excellent value that will surprise and delight any first-time buyer.” In view of the foregoing, the Accent should be on the short list who wants a lot of bang for his or her buck—including excellent gas mileage, which is of significant importance in L.A. with fuel prices that are well above the national average.

The Hyundai Accent is available with the 1.6-liter GDI Gamma engine paired with a proprietary six-speed automatic or manual transmission. This combination results in best-in-class fuel economy of 30 MPG city/40 MPG highway and best-in-class 138 horsepower.

“Gasoline-direct-injection technology allowed Hyundai engineers to create an engine that is powerful, fuel-efficient and has reduced emissions,” said Hyundai American Technical Center Inc. (HATCI) Powertrain Director, John Juriga. “Despite its small size, it generates some big numbers, with both impressive horsepower output and up to 40 MPG on the highway.”

The all-new Gamma 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine is the smallest Hyundai engine to use Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) in the U.S., which helps deliver an estimated highway fuel economy of up to 40 mpg, lower emissions and higher reliability. Through the use of GDI technology, the Gamma 1.6-liter engine delivers a peak output of 138 HP at 6,300 RPM and maximum torque of 123 lb.-ft. at 4,850 rpm. However, GDI is only part of the story, as the new Gamma also features Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing, an electronic throttle control, a roller timing chain, variable induction and innovative anti-friction coatings such as CrN Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) coating and Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coating.

Child Car Seat Inspection Station

Consider us over-achievers. We’re proud to announce that we’re Guam’s only auto dealership to be a Certified Child Car Seat Inspection Station. This means we have team members (four to be exact!) who are certified in Child Safety Seating. So if you have questions or concerns about the safety of your precious cargo’s seat, feel free to stop on by! We’ll be happy to inspect and assist with your child’s safety seat.

Our Certified Team:

1. Tom Akigami
2. Paul San Nicolas
3. Ricky Castro, Jr.
4. Georgette Ulloa

 

ELANTRA WINS NORTH AMERICAN CAR OF THE YEAR FOR 2012.

Fifty veteran automotive writers from the U.S. and Canada evaluated 30 cars, then voted. They rated Elantra above all the others. In 2009, Genesis won. Now it’s Elantra’s turn.

Award caps record year for Hyundai Motor America and Elantra

• Bold Fluidic Sculpture design

• Best-in-class standard fuel economy on all models

• Highest owner satisfaction with real world fuel economy of all compact cars

• Mid-size interior room in a compact class footprint

DETROIT, Jan. 9, 2012 – The 2012 Hyundai Elantra took top honors in the most exclusive award in North America when it was named 2012 North American Car of the Year today.

A jury of 50 independent North American automotive journalists evaluated each of the new cars introduced last year and chose the 2012 Hyundai Elantra as the winner. The award was announced at a news conference at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which marks Hyundai’s second win. The Hyundai Genesis was named North American Car of the Year in 2009.

“Elantra speaks to the success of our recipe of bold design and great fuel economy,” said John Krafcik, president and chief executive officer, Hyundai Motor America. “In a year with some truly breakthrough competitors, we are honored that the jury recognizes Elantra’s far-reaching impact on the industry.”

The jurors considered more than 50 new vehicles, before selecting the top three cars and top three trucks. The Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus were the other car finalists.

This is the 19th year of the awards, which were inspired by the prestigious European “Car of the Year.” The jury is administered by an organizing committee and funded exclusively with dues paid by the jurors. Jurors judge the cars on a number of factors including innovation, impact on the industry, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar.

 

 

HYUNDAI “FLUIDIC SCULPTURE” DESIGN

Elantra exemplifies Hyundai’s emotional “Fluidic Sculpture” design principles. “Fluidic Sculpture” considers the interplay of wind with rigid surfaces to create the illusion of constant motion. Elantra is an evolution of the design qualities found in Sonata.

Along Elantra’s sides are Sonata’s flowing lines, with the addition of a strong undercut feature line starting at the front door. These lines, along with muscular wheel arches and a sleek roofline, create a memorable and spacious package. Flowing lines also lead to an aerodynamic body. The drag coefficient for the Elantra is an exceptionally low 0.28 that compares favorably to the Chevrolet Volt (0.29).

Hyundai’s signature hexagonal front grille and detailed swept-back headlights give Elantra a compact athletic face. The assertive stance is complimented by 15-, 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels and athletic proportions. Available fog lights and side repeater mirrors complete the distinct design. Elantra was designed at Hyundai’s North American Design Center in Irvine, Calif.

40 MPG POWERTRAIN

Elantra’s standard fuel economy is EPA-rated at 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway, amd 33 mpg combined, with the six-speed automatic transmission or manual transmission. These figures give Elantra a highway-only driving range of up to 500 miles. Elantra’s strong EPA ratings are backed up by the highest owner satisfaction with real-world fuel economy in the compact class, according to data from J.D. Power and Associates.

Under the hood, the Elantra is powered by an all-new 1.8-liter Nu four-cylinder engine with 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque (145 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque for Elantra PZEV). Thanks to advanced clean engine technology, most Elantras sold in California, Oregon and several Northeast states are certified as Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV) by the EPA. The PZEV Elantra is as clean as many hybrid electric vehicles. The PZEV Elantra helps Hyundai meet its environmental commitments. Outside of these “green” states, the Elantra is available as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV).

Autobytel’s Compact Car and SUV of the Year!

We’re a little excited at the moment. Our Hyundai Veloster and Jeep Wrangler were just named Compact Car of the Year and SUV of the Year in Autobytel‘s annual challenge. We couldn’t agree more with their picks.

Here are the articles themselves found on Autobytel’s website. Way to go Hyundai and Jeep!

Autobytel Compact Car of the Year: 2012 Hyundai Veloster

A resounding favorite of the Autobytel editorial staff was the clear winner of the Autobytel 2012 Compact Car of the Year. Hyundai has truly stepped up to the competition across almost every segment of the automotive industry and with the introduction of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, the sport compact class will never be the same.

Starting at an affordable $17,300.00, the Compact Car of the Year surprises the segment with the introduction of a 3^rd door, standard technology equipment that manages your music, cell communications and navigation plus the choice of a sporty 6-speed manual or automatic transmission. Options include a sky-revealing glass roof and premium sound system that makes the commute one complete with creature comforts expected of a 2012 Compact Car of the Year.

The design of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster is nothing less than show-stopping with the DNA of the Hyundai signature fluidic design showing its colors loud and clear. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster is proof that hot things can come in small packages.

Autobytel 2012 SUV of the Year Winner: 2012 Jeep Wrangler

When it comes to tackling any terrain put in front of it, the go-anywhere Jeep Wrangler has always been the ultimate SUV, but with the addition of a new powertrain for 2012, this iconic off roader was an easy choice for the Autobytel 2012 SUV of the Year. Available in two- and four-door configurations, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler now comes with a more powerful Pentastar V-6 engine that gives drivers a good mix of power and fuel economy. Whether its equipped with the hard or soft top, the Jeep Wrangler allows for easy open-air driving, and, like its predecessors dating back to 1941, the 2012 Wrangler can still be enjoyed with the windshield folded down and the doors removed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

As we spend time with loved ones over the holidays and celebrate the birth of Christ, we also reflect on the blessings we hold dear to us each day. I want to take this time to thank you, our dear Customers, Friends, and Family, for all your support and loyalty these last twelve years. Our Cars Plus Team continues to grow stronger each day, allowing us to take care of you and our community. We couldn’t do it without you.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and may you have a Healthy and Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Joey & Joyce Crisostomo

Nora, Jennifer, and Joey Jr.

Hyundai Elantra takes First Place with Motor Trend!

Motor Trend recently compared eight compact sedan cars, and guess who took first place? Wink Wink.

The list from first to last place:
1. Hyundai Elantra
2. Honda Civic
3. Mazda 3
4. VW Jetta
5. Ford Focus
6. Chevrolet Cruze
7. Kia Forte
8. Toyota Corolla

Yes, you just read that right. Elantra #1; Corolla #8. Hyundai for the win!

1st Place: HYUNDAI ELANTRA

When MC Guru (RIP) and DJ Premier came together in 1994 to produce “Mass Appeal,” the seminal, bass-backed discourse on the evils of trading authenticity for popularity (also known as selling out), they most certainly were not explaining how to build America’s best C-segment sedan.

Yet the song’s theme matches the Hyundai Elantra’s secret to success: Keepin’ it real. In this case, really stylish, authentically sophisticated, and content rich. Check it out: The Elantra achieved no distinction on our spec charts; it was not the fastest nor the lightest, not the cheapest nor best at the pump. Yet when it came time for our judges to discuss which vehicle should finish on top, the capable and charismatic Elantra was always in the mix without diesel-ringer rancor or anti-Civic animosity.

“Wow, Hyundai’s done a great job here. The Elantra’s styling is a welcome addition to the copy/paste mindset,” said Lago. Others found the atomic guppy styling modern and fresh, if busier than the staid Civic, leering Mazda3, and starched-collar Jetta. Inside, however, the Elantra was king. “I hate tan interiors, and I was still impressed with this. This cheap Hyundai is better inside than some Lexuses,” noted Febbo.

When it came to ride quality, Elantra marries the lightness of the Japanese sedans with the big-car comfort of Jetta and Cruze.”The Elantra’s ride is easily the most comfortable of the bunch: smooth, quiet, and well-controlled. If I had to drive one of these cars from San Francisco to Los Angeles, this would be my hands-down choice,” said Jurnecka.

Sure, there were complaints, primarily about an EPA-certified 29/40-mpg fuel economy number that we did not come close to replicating. Among the gas burners, the Elantra’s 25.9 mpg in mixed driving was solidly midpack. Our crew also wished for a bit more crispness in the handling dynamics and steering.

“Definitely not a sport sedan as there is more body roll than the others on turn-in. It grips pretty well and the chassis is composed, but you can tell it’s not meant for high-g cornering,” said Evans.

Also obvious is the breadth and value of the Elantra Limited’s standard equipment, which includes a power sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity, and heated front and rear leather seats-all for only a bit more than Civic money. (“Seriously? How many cars under $50K have those?” said Febbo.) This feature/value proposition not only helps elevate the quality of the driving experience, it raises Elantra to the top of the C-segment.

Lassa offered a 35,000-foot view: “Closest to the ideal of what a modern compact needs to be if Americans are really going to downsize their sedans. Compacts don’t need to look or feel cheap.”

And the Elantra certainly does not.

“Compared with every other car here, the Elantra feels grown-up and sophisticated,” concluded Jurnecka. It offers the most compelling compromise of styling, packaging, value, efficiency, and comfort, and demonstrates that you don’t have to sell your soul to have mass appeal.

Read more at Motor Trend.

The 2012 Hyundai Veloster Named Urban Car of the Year

Well, we can’t say we’re surprised, but this IS pretty awesome. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster was just named the Urban Car of the Year!

From Automotive News Desk:

DETROIT — “The Urban Vehicles of the Year” were announced today by Decisive magazine after their selection by an esteemed panel of independent automotive journalists. The Urban Wheel Awards judging panel spent several months selecting the most stylish, practical and attainable vehicles by driving dozens of cars and trucks in a variety of North American urban settings before settling on the three winners. Decisive magazine’s Urban Vehicles of the Year are featured in the magazine’s winter issue, which will be available online at www.decisivemagazine.com and on mobile applications.

The Urban Vehicles of the Year winners and finalists will be honored at the 16th Annual Urban Wheel Awards (UWA) on Sunday, January 8, 2012.

Needless to say, we are pumped! Way to take it to another level, Hyundai!

Ford’s Reliability Stumbles in Consumer Reports’ Survey, Jeep Rises

Photo credit: Ford

Bradford Wernle
Automotive News – October 25, 2011 – 12:45 pm ET

DETROIT — Ford brand, in recent years a paragon of the Detroit 3′s improved reliability, stumbled in this year’s Consumer Reports magazine’s reliability survey, while Jeep took the top ranking among domestic brands.

Ford’s drop from 10th in the survey to 20th in 2011 was caused by two factors: teething problems with new and redesigned models — the Explorer, Fiesta and Focus — and problems with new technologies, the MyFord Touch infotainment system and an automated manual transmission on the Fiesta and Focus.

David Champion, senior director of the Consumer Reports Auto Test Center, said in an interview: “It can’t be good for Ford. It takes a long time to build a reputation for reliable vehicles. But it takes only a year or two to lose that.”

Wes Sherwood, a spokesman for Ford, said today that the MyFordTouch system is “pioneering technology for the industry” and that Ford’s PowerShift transmission is among the the “most advanced fuel-saving technologies” that allows automatic transmissions to get better fuel economy than manual transmissions.

“Where there are issues, we are addressing them,” he said.

Champion says Ford’s results show that carmakers still face a challenge in getting new models right in their first year.

“We have often found that new or revamped models have more problems in their first year than in subsequent model years,” he says. “Ford’s problems illustrate why we recommend to our subscribers to hold off buying a first-year model.”

The Consumer Reports reliability study is based on responses on 1.3 million vehicles owned or leased by the magazine’s print and Web site subscribers. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2011 by Consumer Reports‘ National Survey Research Center and covered the 2002-11 model years. The data are used to predict reliability of 2012 models.

The survey ranked 28 brands.

Chrysler brands improve

Jeep moved up seven spots to 13th to become the most reliable domestic brand and Chrysler brand moved up 12 spots in the rankings, although its ranking was based on just two models: the 200 sedan and Town & Country minivan.

The redesigned Chrysler 300 sedan was too new for sufficient survey data. The 200, known as the Sebring before a 2011 redesign, finished well above average, but the Town & Country was subpar.

Dodge brand also moved up three places in the rankings to 21st.

Champion said Chrysler Group’s improvement shows the company has demonstrated a “new determination on reliability.” Time will tell if the company can keep it up, he said.

“In the past, Consumer Reports has been critical of our older products,” Doug Betts, Chrysler’s senior vice president of quality, said in a statement. “Having Jeep named the highest ranking domestic brand for reliability comes after many long days and a lot of work in the past three years by our team, as Chrysler Group consistently outpaced the industry’s average rate of improvement for reliability.”

Japanese brands still dominated, taking the first nine spots. Volvo cracked the top 10 at 10th, the best among European makes. Jeep, Lincoln and Chrysler were the top three domestic brands at 13th, 14th and 15th.

GM drops back

General Motors also stumbled in the survey, particularly the Buick and Cadillac brands, which each dropped six spots to 24th and 25th.

The Buick LaCrosse, the all-wheel-drive version of the Buick Enclave, and the Cadillac SRX all fell below average this year after being deemed reliable a year ago, the magazine said.The Chevrolet Volt hybrid ranked as GM’s most reliable car, though the sample size was barely more than the magazine’s minimum of 100 cars.

Despite improvement, domestic models still have reliability issues: Of 97 domestic models and versions for which the magazine had data, 62 of them (64 percent) rated average or better compared with 96 percent for Japanese brands.

Toyota Motor Corp’s Scion brand topped the ranking, followed by Lexus and Acura. Mazda scored the biggest improvement among Japanese makes, jumping eight spots from last year to fourth overall.

Of the top 91 Japanese models in the survey, 87 were ranked above average or 96 percent.

Hyundai and Kia ranked 11th and 12th, respectively. Hyundai and Kia each had just one below-par entry: the V-6 Hyundai Santa Fe crossover and its sibling, the V-6 Kia Sorento.

Europeans trail

European vehicles finished just below the U.S. domestic brands. Of 58 models tested, 37 (64 percent) scored average or better.

Though Volvo dropped two places from its 2010 ranking, it got a boost from the redesigned S60 sedan. Volkswagen held on to 16th place. Mercedes-Benz and BMW both rose four places in the rankings to 18th and 19th place, respectively.

But the magazine said the results varied from model to model for the German luxury makers. BMW’s redesigned X3 fared well, while the redesigned 5 series sedan scored well below average. Mercedes got a boost from its GLK compact SUV, while its flagship S class scored below average.

Porsche showed the biggest drop of any carmaker in the survey, dropping 25 places from second best to 27th, or second worst. The magazine had test data on only two models. One of those, the redesigned Cayenne SUV, had a “terrible year.”

AUTOMAKER RESPONSES TO CONSUMER REPORTS’ 2011 SURVEY RESULTS

FORD MOTOR CO.:

“We are pleased that a number of Ford vehicles — including the Ford Fusion — earned top quality ratings this week. As we said when J.D. Power issued similar results last summer, we take all customer feedback seriously and will use it to continuously improbe our vehicles. Continuous improvement ensures that we are providing our customers with the highest-quality vehicles. Our internal surveys now show that we are largely back on track after addressing these near-term quality issues. We remain absolutely committed to serving our customers with cars and trucks that have the highest quality, reliability, fuel efficiency, safety, smart design and value.”

CHRYSLER GROUP LLC:

Consumer Reports announced their findings of their closely watched Annual Auto Survey, stating that the Jeep®, Chrysler and Dodge brands all improved in the industry rankings and that the Jeep brand moved up seven spots to become the “most reliable domestic brand.”

“In the past, Consumer Reports has been critical of our older products,” said Doug Betts, Senior Vice President – Quality, Chrysler Group LLC. “We are pleased to see the strong movement of our brands in this important survey. Having Jeep named the highest ranking domestic brand for reliability comes after many long days and a lot of work in the past three years by our team, as Chrysler Group consistently outpaced the industry’s average rate of improvement for reliability.”

While the Jeep brand is now the highest ranking domestic brand in Consumer Reports’ reliability rankings, the Chrysler brand made the biggest leap in the industry, moving up 12 positions. Chrysler’s results were driven by the strong reliability of the new Chrysler 200. The Chrysler 300 recently received an “excellent” road test score from Consumer Reports, but the magazine did not collect enough subscriber surveys due to the timing of the 300′s market launch for it to be included in this year’s reliability report. Although the 2011 Town & Country was the highest ranked minivan in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey, it did not fare as well among Consumer Reports subscribers and Chrysler Group plans to follow up with Consumer Reports to better understand their survey results.

Consumer Reports noted that some automakers struggled with reliability for new model launches, while “Chrysler (Group) had better results with its new models,” including the Dodge Durango, Chrysler 200 and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

“Even though we launched 16 new or significantly updated vehicles for the 2011 model year, our reliability improved for all brands,” Betts said. “Our new team has devoted significant resources to interior refinement, improved performance, world-class fit-and-finish and more rigorous reliability testing. For example, we’ve increased the reliability testing miles by 50 percent for all our products.”

The Dodge brand (which includes Ram Truck results) moved up three positions in the industry rankings. The 2012 Fiat 500 did not have sufficient survey sample size to be included in this year’s report.

You can reach Bradford Wernle at bwernle@crain.com.