Stellantis’ U.S. sales were down slightly for both the fourth quarter and the full year in 2023, although the company's key Jeep and Ram brands appeared to rebound at the end of the year.
The 1% decline for both periods compared with its numbers a year ago means the automaker, which also owns the Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands, is the only member of the Detroit Three to see sales dip for the quarter and year, although all were affected by the UAW strike last year. The Free Press sent requests for comment to Stellantis spokespeople.
General Motors reported a sales increase of 0.3% for the quarter and 14% for the year, and Ford was up 0.8% and 7%, respectively.
Stellantis, according to a news release this week, said it had sales of 343,552 for the quarter and more than 1.5 million for the year. The company touted a commercial fleet increase of 20% compared with 2022 numbers, "its best year ever," at 202,926 vehicles.
Despite the overall sales drop, Stellantis was able to claim a solid showing for its plug-in hybrid models, with sales up 118% for the quarter and 124% for the year, compared with the same period in 2023. The automaker says it owns the top three spots in U.S. plug-in hybrid sales, with the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, respectively, and a 47% market share of U.S. plug-in electric hybrids.
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“Our electrified offerings, which included the launch of Dodge Hornet R/T and Alfa Romeo Tonale in 2023, will continue to expand with our first (battery electric vehicles) introduced to the North America market this year, including the Jeep Recon, Fiat 500e, Wagoneer S, Dodge Charger Daytona and the Ram 1500 REV,” U.S. Head of Sales Jeff Kommor said in the release. “As we navigate the wide-ranging transformations occurring within the automotive industry, we are focused on achieving our Dare Forward strategic plan, and we will continue to work closely with our customers to meet their demands and the needs of our dealer network in pursuit of that goal."
As for its brands, the results were a mixed bag.
The two highest-volume brands, Jeep and Ram, followed a similar trajectory. Jeep was up 7% for the quarter and down 6% for the year; Ram was up 3% for the quarter and down 1% for the year, compared with year-ago results.
Chrysler dropped 59% for the quarter but was up 19% for the year; Dodge dropped 8% for the quarter but was up 5% for the year; and Alfa Romeo was up 9% for the quarter and down 15% for the year. Dodge and Alfa Romeo benefited from the introduction last year of the Hornet and Tonale, respecectively.