Dodge's "Major Product Intervention"

Just how widespread are the problems with many current Chrysler products? It’s to the point where the company itself declared Wednesday that they will have a "Major Product Intervention" across the Dodge lineup. Many of these changes also affect their platform-mates in the Chrysler and Jeep brands.

That includes:

• A previously announced "all-new" interior for the 2010 Caliber, whose current interior one of us likened to "sitting in an Igloo cooler." It looks like the Caliber continues until 2012 when a new compact sedan comes on line; its Patriot and Compass platform-mates move to a Fiat-based platform in 2013.
• The Avenger midsized sedan also gets an all-new interior, a new engine, and better attention to noise and vibration isolation. That all happens later in 2010 with a new Fiat-based sedan coming in 2013.
• The Journey three-row SUV gets the same treatment as the Avenger in 2010, but it soldiers on through 2014.
• The Grand Caravan gets a whole new interior, a new engine, a complete suspension retune--with claimed "best-in-class" ride and handling--and more attention to noise, comfort, and features. A redesign comes for 2014. The Town and Country will see similar changes.
• The Charger claims to be "all new" with a "class-leading" interior, "class-leading" features, a new engine and "lifestyle oriented packaging." That comes in 2010.
• The 300 also gets a major update.
• The Nitro sees a "major modification" for 2011, but its future is uncertain beyond that. Its Liberty platform-mate will get a new platform and shed 600 lbs in 2013.

What do we take from this?

• Chrysler is pinning a lot on their new 3.6-liter "Pentastar" V6 engine, which replaces an array of other V6s across a wide variety of products and platforms.
• 2013 is a long time to wait for a new midsized sedan. Despite substantial modifications, the Avenger/Sebring sedans platform has limited potential. The cars are narrow and changing the roofline enough to improve visibility, a major complaint with those cars, is likely to be too expensive for an interim step.
• If you design interiors for Chrysler, you’re very, very busy right now.
• Chrysler once ruled the minivan segment, but they have their work cut out for them to beat the agility of the Honda Odyssey and the quietness and ride of the Toyota Sienna.
• Most of these products score near the bottom of our Ratings in their particular classes. While any improvements would be welcome, it’s very rare that even a major freshening transforms a design enough to propel it to the top of its class. The Ram was an exception to this rule.
• Finally, keep in mind that the competition isn’t standing still, either.

—Tom Mutchler

Also read: Chrysler's business plan: The Fiat platforms

Chrysler’s business plan: The Fiat platforms

Fiat-based platforms will have a big influence on Chrysler’s small and midsized products, based on a multi-hour presentation given today to the industry, media, and anyone else who wanted to monitor. Chrysler currently has no small cars, but by 2014, they will have three models based on two Fiat platforms, one being the 500.
 
The biggest platform shift is in the larger segments. According to Chrysler, this now has eight different platforms: 

• Wrangler
• PT Cruiser
• Compass/Caliber/Patriot
• Liberty/Nitro
• Sebring/Avenger
• Journey
• Dakota
• Viper

Click the links above for model overview pages featuring ratings and road tests, available to online subscribers.

By 2014, nine different products will stem from just two platforms – and one of those platforms is exclusive to the Wrangler. The Wrangler’s product line and reach will be extended, with major product modifications in both 2010 and 2011. Wranglers have an iconic image, they sell well, and their low-tech design is likely provides a handsome profit. While they perform well off-road, Wrangler’s don’t perform well on the road or in CR’s Ratings; the Wrangler is currently our lowest-scoring vehicle.

Wrangler aside, this means that eight products, covering vital products like midsized sedans and small and crossover SUVs, will all come from one Fiat Group platform. (Given that Dodge said that the Viper will be redesigned, perhaps this slide shown here from the presentation is short a platform for that low-volume street rocket.) While the decision isn’t finalized, the midsized Dakota may move to a unibody platform, like the Honda Ridgeline.
 
Moving to larger products, things remain pretty much status quo. Those platforms will continue to be sourced from Chrysler, with a large sedan platform (300, Charger, Challenger), a minivan platform, and another midsized SUV platform (Grand Cherokee, Durango). The Ram brand keeps its own platform—no surprise.
 
The first domestic-badged Fiat-based product is expected in 2012, a compact sedan sold by Dodge. That year will also bring Ram-badged large and small commercial vans, filling the big hole left from the Mercedes/Freightliner-shared Sprinter.
 
—Tom Mutchler

2009 Annual Auto Reliability Survey: Best and worst models by car maker

It is easy to assume that certain automakers build only reliable cars and others don’t, however, nearly every manufacturer have their share of winners and losers in our annual reliability survey. Each company and even brand product portfolio runs a spectrum of reliability performance, with its own best and worst examples. For some, the range can span from much better than average to much worse than average, whereas other may be centered around average. The key lesson from scanning the data within an automaker is not to make assumptions.

For example, the best Toyota Motor Company model in our reliability survey is the Lexus SC—its predicted reliability score is the second highest out of over 300 vehicles, but the worst is the Lexus GS (AWD), which scores in the bottom 10 percent, and receives a much worse than average rating, and is not recommended in our testing. While it is true that Lexus models tend to be reliable and test well, this is not the case for all Lexus vehicles.

The greatest disparity comes from Volkswagen. The VW Golf (aka Rabbit) is one of the most reliable small cars you can buy, but the Volkswagen Touareg has the lowest predicted reliability score in our 2009 Annual Auto Survey.

In most cases, the best model for reliability is a recommended model and the worst is not. However, Honda’s top reliable vehicle in our survey, the Honda Insight, is not recommended due to low scores in our testing. The least reliable Honda vehicle is the Acura RL, but it has an average reliability score and is recommended. Honda is one of the more consistent manufacturers and has no model that scored below average in reliability.

The two more reliable General Motors products are from two brands that are leaving the GM umbrella. The Saturn Aura (4-cyl.) is newly recommended this year and the Pontiac Vibe will be phased out in the coming months.

Below are the best and worst models in reliability. Models with an * are based on data of one model year only.

BMW
Best: BMW 328i (RWD)
Worst: BMW 535i (AWD)*

Chrysler
Best: Jeep Patriot
Worst: Chrysler Town & Country/Dodge Grand Caravan

Ford
Best: Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan (4-cyl.)
Worst: Ford F-250 (turbodiesel, 4WD)*

General Motors
Best: Chevrolet Malibu (V6)
Worst: Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon (4WD)

Honda
Best: Honda Insight*
Worst: Acura RL

Hyundai/Kia
Best: Hyundai Tucson
Worst: Kia Sedona

Mazda
Best: Mazda3 sedan
Worst: Mazda CX-7

Mercedes-Benz
Best: Mercedes-Benz GLK*
Worst: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (turbodiesel)*

Nissan
Best: Infiniti M35 (RWD)
Worst: Nissan Versa sedan*

Subaru
Best: Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
Worst: Subaru Impreza WRX*

Toyota
Best: Lexus SC*
Worst: Lexus GS (AWD)

Volkswagen
Best: Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit)
Worst: Volkswagen Touareg*

Volvo
Best: Volvo S40 (FWD)*
Worst: Volvo XC90 (V8)*

The main take away from this information is don’t judge a book by its cover. Avoid assumptions and do your research before you buy your next vehicle. It takes just a few minutes to browse the model overview pages, or use the interactive new car selector tool, which sorts and filters by the parameters that matter most to you.

Either path will reveal Consumer Reports recommended models that did well in our road tests, score average or better in reliability, and performs at least adequately if included in government or insurance industry safety tests.

For more details on our 2009 Annual Auto Survey including the full list of most and least reliable new cars by vehicle type, see our reliability report. Also, check out our guide to car reliability for more details on new and used car reliability as well as owner satisfaction.

—Liza Barth 

Chrysler splits Dodge into two separate brands

Chrysler has announced a reorganization that will separate the Dodge brand into two separate organizations called Dodge Ram and Dodge Car. This move continues the company’s restructuring efforts that have included bankruptcy proceedings and partnership with Italian automaker Fiat.

In a statement, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said, “This reorganization will allow us to protect and develop the unique nature of the product offerings within the Dodge brand.”

Chief designer Ralph Gilles will now head the Dodge Car division as President and CEO. Fred Diaz Jr. moves up to lead the Dodge Ram group in the same capacity. Olivier Francois becomes the President and CEO of the Chrysler brand, moving over from Fiat where he headed the Lancia brand.

We hope the latest round of executive musical chairs helps the struggling automaker accelerate recovery plans.

—Liza Barth 

Life after cash for clunkers: September auto sales

The much-publicized cash for clunkers program gave a shot of adrenaline to car sales this summer, inspiring purchases even from consumers who did not participate. With the $3 billion spent in moving people into more fuel-efficient vehicles, the question became, what would become of the market without the federal incentives? The answer: September sales figures show that all manufacturers saw a significant 35 to over 50 percent sales decrease compared to August. But--and here’s the good news--when compared to last September, a few manufacturers actually saw a sales increase, including Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru.

Here are the sales trends among the largest automakers:

Chrysler: Still struggling post bankruptcy, Chrysler saw a 42-percent decrease over last September and down 40 percent for the calendar year so far.

Ford: Helped by a sales surge from the redesigned Taurus, Ford showed only a small decrease of five percent over September 2008, but so far this year they are down 22 percent.

GM: Low inventory levels after the clunker program pushed General Motors to a decrease of 45 percent over last year and 36 percent decrease so far for 2009.

Honda: With a decrease in sales almost across the board (except the Pilot, which showed a small increase), Honda sales were down 23 percent over last year and 24 percent so far this year.

Hyundai: Continues to enjoy growth and increase market share. They reported a 27 percent increase over last September and a 1.4 increase year to date.

Nissan: Sales for September were down 7 percent over last year and 26 percent year to date. A number of vehicles, including the Nissan Maxima, 370Z, Pathfinder, and Frontier, as well as the Infiniti QX56, saw a gain over last year.

Subaru: Attributing its success to the redesigned Outback and Legacy models, Subaru saw an increase of 1 percent over last September and continues to have the highest sales percent increase of any manufacturer--up 10 percent for the calendar year so far.

Toyota: Overall sales were down 16 percent from last year and 27 percent year to date, but the Lexus division saw an increase of 7 percent over September 2008.

Even with help from last month’s cash for clunkers program, manufacturers are still struggling this year. As they enter the fourth quarter, we should see some more promotions and rebates to help drive up sales before the end of the year.

—Liza Barth 

2010 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep owner's manuals go digital

Many owner’s manuals have grown to over 500 pages, clogging glove boxes, overwhelming readers, and killing trees. (Read “The Ultimate Reading Room - BMW owner's manual.”) Chrysler has announced for the 2010 model year, it will replace the traditional owner’s manuals with abbreviated 60-80 page guides and DVDs. The move will save a claimed 930 tons of paper, also known as 20,000 trees. Customers can also receive a printed manual for free, if desired.
 
The DVDs will provide instructions for the operating and maintaining the vehicle. Moving these publications into the digital era means that video can be used to show how features work. This can be particularly useful in demonstrating how to lower and raise a cloth Jeep Wrangler top--a tricky procedure for a new owner. Emergency-focused information, such as how to change a tire, will be included in the printed supplement.
 
As presented, this does sound like a good way to save resources and even shed fuel-consuming pounds from each vehicle. However, watching the video demonstration of the DVD has me wondering if analog manuals are quicker and easier to use. Just open, scan the index, and flip to the page. Any answer delivered in seconds. Flipping pages is certainly quicker than running into the house and firing up a DVD player or computer and clicking through menus. For those who truly venture off-road with their Jeeps, it would be a good idea to carry a printed manual among your essential survival gear.
 
Chrysler could take the digital concept further by making the owner’s manuals and videos available for access via smart phones. This would be the best of both worlds, providing instant access and multimedia, so long as there is cellular service. As an alternative, the digitized manual could be downloadable as an application. With either approach, any updates by Chrysler would be automatically made available to customers, rather than ship a supplement or new DVD.
 
I can see it now, tomorrow’s Wrangler driver will be armed with the proverbial bailing wire and duct tape while referring to an iPhone for instructions. At least the paperless manuals would be advancing the Tread Lightly cause.
 
—Jeff Bartlett

Chrysler restarts car leasing program

Yesterday, Chrysler announced its return to leasing, with special rates on the 2010 Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Caravan, Ram 1500 pickup, and Journey, and the Jeep Liberty and Wrangler. Lease programs are available on all 2010 Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep models.

The company also announced special purchase incentives on remaining 2009 models, including zero-percent financing and up to $4,500 cash back through GMAC. On 2010 models, up to $3,000 cash back is available with reduced-rate financing.

While leasing is convenient, we have found that it is almost always more expensive than financing. For more information, check out our advice on leasing versus financing. 

Before buying or leasing, be sure to check our ratings to see how vehicles perform in our more than 50 tests, safety, and reliability. Available to online subscribers, our interactive new car selector allows users to sort and filter vehicles by the factors that matter most. Remember: you’re buying a car, not a deal.

—Eric Evarts

Cash for clunkers fuels August sales

The August car sales numbers are in and with the help from the federal cash for clunkers program, car sales saw a jolt for all automakers over last month, although, even with the boost, 2009 sales for year to date is still down for all manufacturers except Subaru.

Here are the highlights:

Chrysler: Struggling with low inventory due to the clunkers program and factory closures, Chrysler saw a five percent increase over July’s sales numbers, but down 15 percent over last August. Year to date, the company is down 39 percent. Big sellers in August include the Chrysler 300 and PT Cruiser, Dodge Grand Caravan, and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ford: Ford continues its sales momentum for August with a 21 percent increase over August 2008 and 10 percent over last month. However, year-to-date sales were down 23 percent. Top sellers, mostly fueled by the cash for clunkers program, were the Ford Focus, Fusion, Escape, Edge, and Flex, and Mercury Mariner and Milan.

General Motors: GM sales for August were at their highest for 2009. The figures were still down 20 percent over the same time last year, but up 21 percent over last month. Best sellers include some of their most fuel-efficient vehicles -- Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt, HHR, and Equinox.

Honda: Propelled by a number of fuel-efficient vehicles, Honda posted its second highest sales month with an increase of 14 percent over the same time last year and 29 percent over last month. However, sales are down almost 25 percent year over year for the first eight months of 2009. The Civic, Fit, and CR-V were the biggest sellers.

Hyundai: Hyundai saw a huge surge from the clunkers program, a 47 percent increase over August 2008 and 33 percent over last month. Year-to-date Hyundai sales are only down less than one percent so far this year.

Nissan: Even with the help from the cash for clunkers program, combined Nissan and Infiniti sales were down almost three percent over August 2008. Year-to-date total sales are down 27 percent, but the numbers grew almost 32 percent from last month. The Nissan Versa was the clear sales winner with a 131 percent increase over last year. The Sentra and Rogue also saw a healthy sales boost.

Subaru: Subaru enjoyed its best sales month ever with a 52-percent increase over last August, 31-percent increase from July 2009, an 11 percent gain year over year. Subaru was the only manufacturer to enjoy an increase in sales so far for the 2009 calendar year. All Subaru vehicles except the Tribeca, which was down 8 percent, enjoyed a double digit increase over the same month last year.

Toyota: August sales were up over 10 percent over last year led by the Camry and Camry Hybrid, as well as Corolla, Prius, and Yaris. Sales were up about 22 percent over last month, but still down 28 percent so far in 2009 over 2008.

We’ll see what the sales numbers reveal next month without the cash for clunkers program, as and car dealerships try to offer rebates and incentives to help keep the car buying momentum going.

—Liza Barth 

Chrysler changes stance, it will accept product liability claims

In a reversal of its earlier position, Chrysler Group LLC has announced it will accept product liability claims for vehicles manufactured before Italian automaker Fiat took a controlling interest in the new company June 10. (See "Chrysler out of bankruptcy.")
 
The move has the potential to affect owners of millions of vehicles built before Chrysler filed for bankruptcy on April 30, 2009 and idled its factories.
 
As part of the bankruptcy agreement that led to formation of the new company, Chrysler Group LLC was absolved of liability for defects in vehicles built by the “old” Chrysler that might have led to accidents or injuries.
 
Company officials say the reason for the change is they now feel the business is more viable than originally thought, and that they want the public to feel more confident about buying their vehicles. (Read: "Chrysler bankruptcy leaves injured consumers without recourse" and "Chrysler bankruptcy affecting lemon-law payments.")

The company also says the new arrangement is more consistent with policy of General Motors following their bankruptcy. (Read: "What post-bankruptcy GM means to you.") 

Learn more about the auto crisis in our special guide.

 
—Jim Travers

No Nissans coming to Chrysler’s rescue

Chrysler’s deal with Nissan to share development of upcoming models has been canceled. The partnership would have provided Chrysler with its first small car since becoming independent from German conglomerate Daimler in 2007. That car was supposed to be based on Nissan’s relatively pleasant small Versa, itself based on a Renault platform. In exchange, Chrysler would have produced a full-sized pickup truck for Nissan based on the Dodge Ram, which likely would have replaced the aging Titan.
 
The car could have been a shot in the arm for the ailing U.S. automaker, which today has not a single model reliable enough and with good enough performance for us to recommend. Without a version of the Versa to fill the gap, Chrysler will have to wait for a Fiat-based design in order to offer a small car larger than the tiny Fiat 500. Fiat is reportedly working on other small and midsized vehicles that promise to further revitalize and balance Chrysler’s truck-heavy product portfolio.
 
With a dated lineup, Chrysler will face marketplace challenges until this happens. The next new models in their pipeline are the Grand Cherokee SUV and the updated Chrysler 300/Dodge Charger large sedans.  The disbanded alliance with Nissan means that new small cars from Chrysler will have a longer wait.
 
—Eric Evarts