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While the new Mazda2 — Demio to its friends in Japan — took home the overall gold in this year’s Japanese Car of the Year awards, Jeep took home a JCOTY, too, the first time an American brand has ever accomplished the feat.
AutoGuide reports the Cherokee took eighth place among the top 10 list, the third Fiat Chrysler Japan product in a row to do so after the Fiat Panda and Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The crossover went on sale in Japan in May 2014.
Among the transplants, the Mercedes C-Class took a close second behind the Demio, the BMW i3 won the bronze, and the Peugeot 308 came in sixth place. Subaru’s Levorg wagon was the next highest-placing home model.
35 Comments on “Jeep First American Brand To Enter Japan COTY Top 10...”
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How exactly is Jeep an American brand? Because FCA is incorporated in The Netherlands? Because the headquarters is in the UK? Because the vehicle was engineered in Italy?
Oh, wait, no, it’s because the ads on TV tell us it’s an American brand. OK, I got it.
Is Jaguar and Land Rover Indian? Is Opel american? Is Scoda german? No. The Jeep marques head quarters are in the USA, that makes the brand american.
No it’s heritage is from the U.S., it is built primarily in the US
It’s not only the HQ, but also all the production, with the sole exception of upcoming Renegade, which is going to be built in Italy.
VoGo,
Any proof that the Cherokee was engineered in Italy? You are probably confused by the fact that it shares a platform with other cars.
A quick Google for Cherokee engineers shows some of the worst-dressed Italians I’ve ever seen. I didn’t think it was even possible to buy such ill-fitting suits in Italy! If I didn’t know any better (thanks to you), I would peg them as Michigan residents…
Thanks for the laugh heavy. I’m pretty sure any Italian dressed like that would be locked up for some reason or another very quickly.
Being a wee bit pedantic, aren’t you?
A glance at a history book will make it clear why Jeep is classified as American, in spite of the various changes in ownership along the way.
The last thing I ever attempt is ad hominem attacks, so don’t mistake this for one, but I must genuinely ask; why are nearly all your responses to others’ comments so soaked with condescension, to the point that it’s clearly painful for you to employ your clearly superior and unmatched intellect to interact with lesser minds?
I mean, you sound generally & constantly bitter, with a thick patina of self-righteousness as your shield, used as a sword, in response to past life trauma, no?
As the song goes:
“[Y]ou might be a big fish in a little pond
Doesn’t mean you’ve won
‘Cause along may come a bigger one”
This, from a guy who recently called another commenter “aka Vagina Hurt”?
*Bugs Bunny voice*
“Oh, Eii-ro-nee!”
You know that vaginal pain is no laughing matter. (Or so I’ve been told.)
To be complete and fair, it was more a term of endearment, and in response to an out-of-the-blue attack on me, for my alleged “hatred of Ford,” in a thread dealing with the recent TTAC server/spam code/WordPress glitch.
“You know that vaginal pain is no laughing matter. (Or so I’ve been told.)”
There’s that sense of humor that I knew was just beneath th surface. Even genuinely intelligent people are capable of the lighter side.
p.s. – I later qualified my statement to refer specifically to “vaginitis,” which is very ambiguous, and could refer to something as mild as itchiness.
I think it’s reasonable to question whether Jeep is American. I think it’s appropriate to initiate a conversation around what determines the nationality of a brand and carmaker.
All of these automakers are multinational corporations, with operations far and wide. In that sense, they belong to everyone and to no one. In a world of global capital, they have no nationality.
We say that Jeep is American because it’s a matter of its traditions. The brand comes from the US, and many of the people who work to develop Jeeps today are in the US, making vehicles primarily with Americans in mind. This is not particularly worth arguing about.
I actually agree with Pch101’s point here, as I often do (though not always), but had an uncontrollable urge to confront him on the whole tone vs substance “thing.”
I mostly agree with PCH as well. These are MNCs and the old geographic distinctions are breaking down.
What I take issue with are the people who for example buy a 300 because its American, as in they don’t want to be caught supporting a foreign carmaker.
I’ll work on the tone.
The implication of the article was that the Import COTY award invariably goes to European designs. The US-oriented cars don’t get much respect abroad, which makes this unusual.
Boycotting cars based upon their origins is a different matter. I’ve pointed that out myself to the guys who can’t figure out that a Honda Accord built in Ohio does more for the US economy than a Ford Fusion built in Mexico. But that’s a very different issue from this COTY award.
“why are nearly all your responses to others’ comments so soaked with condescension, to the point that it’s clearly painful for you to employ your clearly superior and unmatched intellect to interact with lesser minds?”
I’m really not trying to pick a fight with you – but this literally made me laugh out loud, as your characterization pretty accurately describes a not inconsiderable number of the comments in this venue, yours included.
@Pch101,
So what is a Chev SS??
It’s obviously and American brand.
I do think you are quite a piece.
You are so correct, are we?
Judging by what’s coming out of Japanese design studios the last several years it becomes obvious the Cherokee has a “face” that the Japanese understand
Nihonjin-tachi wa u-roru ophu yuurinadosu ga daisuki desu!
You really need to cut back on the caffeine
Well, it’s no shock that the Japanese appreciate some trick porcelain.
Demio? How come they get to have names and we get stuck with numbers?
Maybe because it looks and feels so japanese.
“Jeep Cherokee First American Brand”
Jeep is the *Brand*
Cherokee is the *Car*
Maybe it’s the shape of the headlights
Listen.
Do you hear that?
It is the screams of a thousand Bertels…
…as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.
Built in Ohio exported to Japan
I do think the title of this article is verging on spin or deceit.
Is the author a politician?
The Jeep isn’t the COTY in Japan the Mazda Demio is.
This would be more apt for a title – “Jeep has made it into Japan’s COTY top 10”.
But, it good to see the Jeep there, even though it is a global product.
The title and URL have been amended, and I am not a politician of any sort; feel free to Googlelulz me sometime, darling. ;)
Thanks Cam
Jeep survived as an American icon after WW2, and even survived the merger of equal’s disaster. However, it did not survive the Fiat takeover. The Japanese auto press is really celebrating the end of jeep as an American icon. If they gave the award to a real American vehicle like the ATS that would be a different story.
Didn’t Consumer Report just put three Jeeps on its not recommended list?
To be honest average Japanese are not interested to COTY event at all.
Result tends to be an effort of bribing the journalist,which eventually brought up another RJC award as antitheses. as the influence of the award declined, less budget seems to be allocated here.
It’s now a days euro imported biased car magazine editor’s internal event of picking up own favorite car.