How Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram Interiors Got a Lot Better

• What's new: Stellantis has stepped up the quality of its interiors across its brands.
• Why it matters: The company turned a weakness into a strength, mindful it lagged behind the industry. 
• Edmunds says: Jeeps and Rams finally have interiors that match their prices, but Stellantis' efforts are still uneven.

During a tour of Stellantis North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Gilles admitted the company needed to catch up to the industry. It became essential to marketing and value, as many Ram trucks and Jeep SUVs are loaded with features and tech and carry lofty price tags.

"I joke about the water pistol interiors, but they weren’t that bad," Gilles said. Then he recalled driving an Audi A4. "That was it. I got pissed off."

The UX — or user experience — component of a vehicle’s interior has also grown in relevance in the last decade. Nearly every new car, truck or SUV sold in the United States has some kind of screen as knobs and buttons continue to fade. Gilles said Stellantis had just four UX designers in its early days; now it counts more than 180 designers who work on the user experience for drivers.

"This is the battleground of the auto industry," he said.

Gilles, who joined the automaker when it was known as Chrysler in 1991 when Lee Iacocca was still CEO, joked that his first company desk is in the Walter P. Chrysler museum. (The company's historical collection is now in the Connor Center, the old Viper plant on the east side of Detroit, which may be opened to visitors in the near future.) 

As chief design officer for Stellantis, Gilles sits on the company's senior leadership team and oversees styling for all its products around the globe. He said his design teams use AI, and he embraces that, though clay models are still important at Stellantis.

"The companies that don't use clay — you can tell," he said.