JD Power APEAL: Ram #2 mass-market brand

apeal 2024

Ram performed extremely well in the J.D. Power APEAL study, which considers customer satisfaction with performance, execution, and layout. Among mass market brands, Mini was first, followed by Ram and then Kia and Hyundai.  GMC, the only other truck-only brand, scored just below Hyundai, in a statistical dead heat. All GM mass-market brands scored above … Read more

Former Chrysler profits halved, but still driving Stellantis gains (with video)

North American Stellantis profits

In the first half of 2024, Stellantis’ global sales volume fell as the company moved to newer products, with a gap between the end of old vehicles and the start of new ones. The company also blamed its lower volume on “lower market share, particularly in North America,” which is an inarguable but useless point … Read more

Everything new in the 2025 Jeep Compass

2022 Jeep Compass Altitude

This video shows everything that’s new in the 2025 Jeep Compass. For those who don’t want to watch the video, the news is a late-availability extra paint color, Joose. The video also goes into the 2026 Jeep Compass briefly; it is expected to have a 1.6 liter turbocharged Peugeot engine and to be on STLA … Read more

GM announces big profits

Chevy Blazer police car

General Motors announces that, with stable sales, it earned $48 billion in revenues during the second quarter of 2024. Profits before interest and taxes were $4.4 billion; net profits were $2.9 billion for the quarter. GM increased its expectations for 2024 slightly, now expecting to earn net profits of $10.1 to $11.5 billion. This is … Read more

Pacifica recall follows seven fires

After seven fires were reported, Chrysler is recalling the 2017-21 Pacifica PHEV. Fewer than 24,000 subject vehicles were sold. Some of the affected minivans might have had a software update already. Later models, which are most of the Pacifica Hybrid’s production, have a newer manufacturing process which bypasses the problem. The vehicles may still be … Read more

Deeper Hevo dive: benefits, costs vs GM

Fiat 500e with HEVO

Allpar member Somber noted yesterday’s story on Stellantis providing owners with a free HEVO charger (without installation) or $600 in Free2Move credits. The story cited General Motors as providing free installation as well as a charger; Somber wrote that GM pays up to a fairly respectable limit, covering reasonable costs for an electrician but not extending … Read more

HEVO: Buy a Charger (or another BEV), get a charger

hevo charger

Following GM’s longstanding policy of giving buyers of Chevrolet Bolts a home charger, Stellantis will provide a home charger or credits on its national network to buyers of any FCA US battery-electric car—but there is a catch. The device, apparently named after the pioneering band, is dubbed HEVO, an unexplained acronym. The charging station must … Read more

Stellantis’ head of software has left

Stellantis’ Chief Software Business Growth Officer has left the company, according to Crain’s Detroit. She was in charge of “augmenting our brands with software experiences,” and had been in the job for three and a half years. Before that she was chief digital information officer for FCA for around two years. FCA had hired her … Read more

FCA Canada selling 32 acres of Brampton plant parking, barrier land

Avison Young sale of Brampton acreage

A Canadian real estate group is advertising 32 acres of land for sale in Brampton, Ontario, which from their diagrams appears to include around half the employee parking lot, a portion of the shipping lot, and some land which insulate the lots from nearby streets and provide landscaping. The Brampton Assembly and Satellite Stamping plants occupy 269 acres,…

Stellantis joins with research group for in-house battery tech

CEA (French Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission)

Stellantis has renewed its relationship with France’s research institution CEA to work on an in-house design for next-generation battery cells. The end goal is more affordable and sustainable electric cars; the method is a multiple year R&D program on battery cells. CEA has over 25 years of experience in lithium-ion batteries; Stellantis has worked with … Read more

Production cuts, retooling close Gladiator plant

Jeep Gladiator sales

With Gladiators selling at tens of thousands off their admittedly inflated list prices, Stellantis has finally shut down the Toledo, Ohio plant which makes them for six weeks. After a two week layoff at both plants, Gladiator employees will be reassigned to help at the neighboring Wrangler plant. Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators have been clogging … Read more

GM announces US sales gain; STLA timing

Chevy Blazer police car

For the second quarter, General Motors (GM) sold 696,086 vehicles in the United States, up 0.6%; in the first half of the year, they sold 1,290,319 vehicles, down 0.4%. Sales could be called “flat,” with quality gains countered by a delay in producing electric cars due to a slower-than-expected robotics supplier at the battery plant. … Read more

STLA swaps leaders, buys more of aviation company

2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten Towing

Stellantis has replaced Domenico Gostoli with Eric Laforge as head of Ram and Dodge in Europe. Laforge already ran Jeep in the region. Domenico is to be responsible for Italy’s light commercial vehicle sales unit as well as Europe-wide military sales and Ram fleet sales. In addition, even as it goes plant-by-plant in the United … Read more