Dodge has struggled quite a bit in recent years. In many ways, the legendary American automaker has had issues finding its footing as the industry changes, as has Stellantis as a whole. However, quality hasn’t been a significant problem for Dodge. Sadly, it took a dramatic tumble on a recent quality survey, and many are wondering why. 

Is the era of reliable vehicles from Dodge ending?

There was a time when many buyers didn’t equate Dodge with reliable vehicles. However, this has changed in more recent years as the automaker has found what works for it. This shift to making some of the best new cars is evidenced by the fact that it was number one on the 2023 J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey. 

Now, according to Mopar Insiders, this has changed. Dodge has gone from being the top dog for having the fewest issues per 100 vehicles to being last. Previously, Dodge had 140 reported problems per 100 vehicles, but that number has shot up to 301. This year, Ram is number 1 with 149 reported issues, whereas it was number two last year with 141 problems. This might be suprising to some as not everyone knows Ram for reliability.

What’s different this time around that would make it appear that Dodge has fewer reliable vehicles? The survey now also takes into account some repair visit data. Historically, the survey has used responses from people who bought or leased new cars from franchised dealers. The data for this year’s survey was collected from buyers between July 2023 and May of this year. 

Besides the survey using repair visit data, some people feel the Dodge Hornet could also be to blame. Not only has the SUV had dismal sales, but there have been significant complaints about it. However, there are some owners who have the Dodge Hornet and love it.