FCA US has landed Motor Trend’s 2019 SUV, Truck and Person of the Year awards. The editors of the automotive publication have named the Jeep® Wrangler as the 2019 SUV of the Year® and the Ram 1500 the 2019 Truck of the Year® — two of the most coveted automotive industry awards in extremely competitive segments. Former FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne is honored posthumously with Motor Trend’s 2019 Person of the Year.

Motor Trend’s “Of the Year” awards recognize the best vehicles representing exceptional value, superiority in their classes and impact on the automotive scene.

“The Jeep Wrangler and Ram 1500 are significant products at FCA; concurrently winning Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year and Truck of the Year titles is a proud accomplishment, and a testament to the capability and determination of our employees,” said Mike Manley, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. “These awards help to acknowledge our team’s tireless efforts to ensure the new Wrangler and the new Ram 1500 stand out in their competitive segments.

“On behalf of all FCA employees, we also deeply appreciate Motor Trend’s recognition of Sergio Marchionne as Person of the Year. His legacy in the industry, and his lasting impact on FCA will be remembered forever.”

Motor Trend’s “Of The Year” program is open to any all-new or substantially upgraded 2019 model-year vehicles. Instead of being compared against one another, contending vehicles are first put through Motor Trend’s full battery of performance tests to evaluate virtually every aspect of each vehicle. All competitors are then evaluated on three separate courses at a professional automotive test center before finalists are selected.

“For 2019, the Ram 1500 and Jeep Wrangler blew away our Motor Trend editors and judges by not only delivering class-leading capability for work and play, but truly impressive levels of refinement, technology, style and comfort,” said Ed Loh, Motor Trend editor-in-chief. “Congratulations to FCA for delivering two real winners.

“Sergio was a special leader who salvaged troubled Chrysler and Fiat, saving thousands of jobs across the globe,” added Loh. “He was a man who did not do something unless he was convinced it would be successful. Sergio Marchionne got the work done and he left an indelible mark on the automotive industry.”

After weeks of testing conclude, the judges determine which vehicles will be given “Of the Year” titles. The winners are not chosen from a direct comparison against other finalists, but instead a result of how each contender measured against the award’s six criteria: design advancement, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value and performance of intended function.

Please click here to view the full press release.

SOURCE: FCA North America