In America, sales of the three core Stellantis brands have tumbled 39% in the past 5 years. Meanwhile, overall new car sales in America are 11% below 2018 levels. Following FCA’s transition to Stellantis in early 2021, the three brands have become a liability for the multinational automotive conglomerate. If you’re not convinced that Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge are in dire trouble, you might be swayed by this look at their U.S. sales in recent years. Plus, we’ll take a look at where things stand today for these three American icons. 

New Name, Bigger Problems

In January 2021, the merger between FCA and Peugeot S.A. (PSA) marked the birth of Stellantis, yet its American brands have struggled in the U.S. market since. By Q4 2023, Stellantis’s U.S. market share had dipped to 8.80%, a significant decline from 9.63% the previous year and the lowest in five years, contrasting sharply with a recent peak of 12.66% in 2019.

Sales have steadily declined for three former FCA brands sold in America: Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler. Ram has fared better as a standalone truck brand, seeing annual sales decline ‘just’ 10% since 2018.

For Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler, the outlook is grim if the recent past is anything to judge. As you can see below, none of the three have come out of the pandemic slump.

And here are the numbers for Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler, showing U.S. sales from 2014 to 2023.

Market Share Declines

Last year, Jeep’s market share slightly fell to 3.92%, down from a recent high of 5.17% in 2019. Ram’s share dropped to 3.44%, down from 4.60% in 2021. Dodge saw a more notable decrease to 1.09% by the end of 2023, a far cry from its former stature as a major player. In the mid-1980s, one in seven new vehicles in America was a Dodge.

Chrysler’s market share plummeted to just 0.27% from 0.69% a year earlier. After consecutive model cancellations and serious stagnation in sales, Chrysler’s U.S. market share has held below 1% since 2021.

These figures highlight the challenges Stellantis faces in reinvigorating its American brands amidst a fiercely competitive market.

How are the individual brands performing in the U.S. new car market? Let’s dive in for a closer look.

Jeep Sales Are Down 44% 

2018 was the last stellar year for Jeep. It’s been downhill ever since. Jeep sales are down 44% from 2018’s peak, when 972,227 Jeeps were sold in America. In 2023, the iconic brand sold just 642,924 vehicles, the lowest sales figure in 11 years.

Over the past two years, Jeep has launched multiple new models, from the luxurious Grand Wagoneer to plug-in hybrid 4xe variants. However, Stellantis’ plan of action doesn’t seem to be working.

Overall U.S. new vehicle sales totaled 15.5 million, an increase of 11.6% from 2022. At the same time, Jeep sales dropped 6.1% year-over-year. 

On top of this, Jeep’s inventory is staggeringly high, no matter how you look at it. Typically, a healthy new car inventory is measured by an industry metric called market day supply (MDS). In essence, MDS represents how long it would take to sell all existing inventory at current daily selling rates, assuming no new inventory was added. A ‘healthy’ inventory is generally between 45 and 65 days of supply, depending on seasonality and differences between OEMs.

As of late February 2024, there’s a 195-day supply of new Jeeps on sale in America. Nationwide, 188,611 new Jeep vehicles are sitting on dealer lots. That’s not good.

Here’s a look at five-year sales trends for Jeep’s models.

It’s great to see the popularity of the Grand Cherokee continuing, but most other Jeep models are faring worse.

Jeep has been plagued by very poor reliability ratings, high maintenance costs, and above-average depreciation. These factors and others are surely contributing to buyer preferences, which these days, are more often than not leading away from the Jeep brand.

Believe it or not, Dodge is in an even worse slump. Let’s take a look at the numbers.

Dodge Sales Are Down 67%, Inventory Soars

Dodge sales are down 67% from 2013’s peak of 595,743 sales in America. In 2023, Dodge sold just 199,458 vehicles, a slight improvement from 2022. However, 2022’s 190,795 vehicles sold was the lowest annual Dodge sales figure since 1996, according to historical sales data from GoodCarBadCar. 

Things aren’t looking any better for 2024. In fact, considering decisions made by Stellantis themselves, 2024 is shaping up to be the final nail in the coffin for this once-popular brand. 

In 2023, Dodge discontinued production of two popular models. The Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger, two of the last American muscle cars still in production, were officially removed from production schedules last December. Meanwhile, fewer than 10,000 copies of the much-hyped Dodge Hornet were sold. What does Dodge’s future look like without these two sporty models, which combined made up 60% of Dodge’s sales in 2023? Electrification is on the horizon if the latest clues are to be trusted. Will Dodge’s fanbase convert to electric performance? The brand’s future depends on it. 

Here’s a look at five-year sales trends for Dodge’s best-selling models, the Charger, Durango, and Challenger.

As the official FCA press release points out, Dodge’s U.S. sales actually increased 5% year over year. The Durango seems to be carrying the brand right now. However, zoom out just a bit, and we see that sales have been cut in half over the past decade. 2024 will be a pivotal year for Dodge’s future.    

So far, the brand isn’t off to a good start. As of late February, there was a 329-day supply of new Dodge vehicles in the U.S. That’s now the highest inventory of ANY car brand today. More than 80,000 new Dodge’s sit on the market waiting for buyers.

Chrysler Sales Are Down 58%

Chrysler sales are down 67% from 2015’s peak of 317,923 sales in America. In 2023, Chrysler sold just 133,729 vehicles, a slight improvement from 2020’s low of about 110,000. 

Chrysler recently discontinued the 300 sedan, but it was never a major seller to begin with. What new models does Chrysler still sell? As of 2024, the Chrysler Pacifica van is the only remaining Chrysler model. It is popular, however, having completed 120,554 sales in 2023.

In Conclusion: Stellantis Has a Mess On Their Hands

The dramatic decline in sales for Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler underlines significant challenges for Stellantis, with each brand facing its own set of issues. Jeep’s inability to boost sales despite new model launches, Dodge’s precarious future post-muscle car, and Chrysler’s dwindling presence to a single model, all signal deep-rooted problems beyond just market trends. These issues highlight a disconnect between the brands’ strategies and the evolving demands of the market, necessitating a comprehensive reassessment of their roles within Stellantis and the broader industry.

Stellantis is at a crossroads, needing to realign these iconic American brands with consumer wants and needs at a price buyers are willing to pay. The conglomerate’s ability to navigate this transformation will determine whether Jeep, Dodge, and Chrysler can regain relevance and growth or fade into automotive history.