As the 2023 calendar year winds down, Stellantis is beginning to thin the heard of models cluttering its various corporate showrooms. That said, the departures will surprise exactly no one as the company’s American lineup becomes a little less Italian.
The Jeep Renegade is based on the Fiat 500L.
Stellantis plans to pull the Jeep Renegade, the brand’s least-expensive vehicle. Starting at $29,445, the Jeep Renegade isn’t much cheaper than the $29,995 Jeep Compass, which also happens to be far better looking. Sales will continue in other markets, however.
The Renegade launched here in 2015, and is designed in Italy and based on a modified Fiat 500L chassis.
Sales peaked in 2016 at 106,606 units before slowly declining to 27,549 units in 2022. Sales have tumbled another 35% this year, totaling 15,561 units through the third quarter of 2023.
William Peffer is taking over as head of the Jeep brand, replacing Jim Morrison.
Sales will continue elsewhere however, including Mexico, Europe, South America and Asia Pacific.
Mamma Mia
It looks worse for Fiat, as the 500x is also on its way out after 2023. Introduced for 2016 and derived from the Renegade platform, the 500X is the only Fiat sold here until the Fiat 500e arrives sometime next year.
With a starting price of $31,840, it seems relatively affordable. But Fiat’s lack of market presence, or for that matter products, led the brand to sell 757 units through September of this year.
2023 Fiat 500X Sport
Not good.
But for those who want the Jeep and Fiat subcompact SUVs, Stellantis says that there should be plenty of both models on dealer lots for the next few months.
Interestingly, Stellantis appointed Aamir Ahmed to lead the Fiat brand in North America in May, and named William Peffer, right, as the new head of Jeep North America following a three-year stint as CEO of Maserati North America, another Stellantis brand.
Peffer replaced Jim Morrison, who was named head of the newly formed Jeep Performance Parts business.
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