Stellantis demands 25% US sales growth from dealers in 2026

Stellantis executives told the automaker’s 2,400-member US dealer body that vehicle sales must start growing this year after seven consecutive annual declines. Jeff Kommor, who leads US sales for Stellantis, said 2026 is the year of execution and the company is counting on dealers to deliver—“no more excuses”.

“We’ve given them all the tools that they need,” Kommor told The Detroit News following the conclusion of a closed-door meeting held 4 February at the National Automobile Dealers Association annual convention. “Excuses are over. There are no more excuses.” The automaker expects a 25% improvement on its dismal 2025 figures. 

The Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram retailers have heard turnaround promises before, including a year ago when sales ultimately fell 4% for the year. Stellantis’ US market share has hovered around 8% the last two years, a marked decline from the 12.5% share it held as recently as 2020.

Stellantis has endured strained relations with its US dealership for years, reaching a nadir in the final months of former Chief Executive Carlos Tavares’ tenure. Tavares resigned a month earlier than expected, in December 2024, after mounting criticism from dealerships, labour groups and political circles. The dispute reached a boiling point in September 2024 when the US Stellantis National Dealer Council penned an open letter accusing Tavares of leading the automaker toward a “disaster” and causing “rapid degradation” of its brands. 

Chief Executive Antonio Filosa, who took the reins in June 2025, has worked to reset relationships with dealers through a more collaborative approach. The automaker began channeling record levels of money toward marketing at regional and local levels in late 2025, and returned to working with dealers on how best to market vehicles in certain large markets. “We’re going to spend more in advertising support in 2026 with our dealers at lower funnel, getting the message out to our customers” Kommor said. “Historical, best ever.”

A flurry of new or refreshed vehicles will hit dealer lots in the next few months, including the all-new Jeep Cherokee as well as refreshes of the Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee. There is a noteworthy pivot away from electric vehicles—the automaker announced a US$26.5bn writedown on this strategy shift on 5 February—with many of the new options featuring Hemi V-8 engines or other internal combustion engine or mild hybrid powertrains. 

Stellantis has also readjusted its pricing and trims across a variety of models, including the top-selling Jeep lineup where dealers previously complained of exorbitant recommended retail prices. The automaker also helped dealers clear lots of several older and unpopular models that had piled up dating back to 2024.

Of course, there is no shortage of economic forces that could complicate Stellantis’ ambitions to boost its sales by 25%, not the least of which being a downturn in consumer confidence and people generally having less disposable income. Volatility in the wider trade environment—particularly between the US and its neighbours Canada and Mexico, which both play host to Stellantis production—could also force sticker prices up.