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Chrysler Turns to Models Under $30,000 to Revive Brand
Expansion Aims to Recapture the Faded Glory of a 100-Year-Old Brand
Key Takeaways:
- Stellantis plans to revive Chrysler with new lower-cost vehicles, including models starting under $30,000.
- The company is moving away from higher-priced vehicles to compete in the $25,000–$35,000 range, where U.S. brands have been largely absent.
- Stellantis aims to launch more affordable models across brands by 2030 to win back budget-conscious buyers and rebuild market share.
Stellantis NV plans to reinvigorate its Chrysler brand with new low-cost models, part of an effort to address affordability concerns and revitalize its U.S. business.
Chrysler will get three new crossover utility vehicles in the coming years, including two that start for less than $30,000.
Those vehicles will allow Chrysler, which for the last few years has produced only minivans, “to enter the $25,000 to $35,000 space, where today none of the American brands compete,” said Tim Kuniskis, head of Stellantis’ North America brands.
The new vehicles are among the nine models Stellantis plans to introduce across its brands by 2030 that will start at less than $40,000, up from just two last year. It’s a significant shift for the automaker, which in recent years sought to move to the higher end of key vehicle segments, prompting pushback from some shoppers.
The expansion aims to recapture the faded glory of a 100-year-old brand. Chrysler competed for decades alongside the likes of General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet and Ford Motor Co.’s namesake before years of under-investment left the brand in a diminished state.
The new models, announced during Stellantis’ investor day May 21, aim to appeal to inflation-weary consumers confronting a hollowed-out market for lower-cost new vehicles, after many automakers cut back on entry vehicles to boost profits.
Today’s the day! 🚀
At Investor Day 2026, #Stellantis will unveil its new strategic plan live from the Company’s Auburn Hills, Michigan (U.S.) headquarters at 2:00 p.m. CEST / 8:00 a.m. EDT via webcast.
Don’t miss what’s next. All details available here: https://t.co/5I0gghdfeb pic.twitter.com/0DRLwGQIKI — Stellantis (@Stellantis) May 21, 2026
That has helped to push up the average price of a new car in the U.S. to around $50,000, a level that’s out of reach for many Americans.
“I think there’s a pragmatic customer coming, and we have to serve them,” Ralph Gilles, Stellantis’ global head of design, said on the sidelines of the investor day in Auburn Hills, Mich. “They don’t want the same things as the boomers did.”
The automaker is fleshing out its North American model lines after aggressive cost-cutting and ill-timed EV bets left holes in key segments and eroded share. It’s planning to introduce 11 all-new vehicles by 2030, expanding its lineup to cover 50% more of the U.S. auto market than it does today.
Brian Antonellis of Fleet Advantage discusses how fleet leaders should be thinking about capital planning with the 2027 NOx emissions rules on the horizon. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
The Ram brand, best known for its pickup trucks, will introduce a new full-size SUV called the Ramcharger, bringing back a nameplate discontinued more than 30 years ago. The brand will also add a new midsize Dakota pickup and a compact truck based on the Rampage, which is sold in South America.
Those new pickups will compete with smaller trucks such as Ford’s Ranger and Maverick.
Other new models include a performance version of the Jeep Wrangler called the Scrambler to appeal to off-road enthusiasts. Dodge will introduce a “muscle hatch” built off its new flexible platform, and plans a new sports car it called the Copperhead.
