What happened to Jeep? The mother of all SUVs has lost its edge as sales fall and cars pile up on dealer lots

Alexa St. JohnAug 4, 2023, 18:43 IST

Over the past few years, Jeep has seen lower sales numbers, brand loyalty decline, and more inventory — as have other Stellantis brands. The automaker is looking to turn that around.Jeep

Jeep has a longstanding history and is well-known as an iconic car brand.
Recently, Jeep's success has faltered, as have other brands under automaker Stellantis.

Jeep is an iconic American brand. But amid a number of challenges and increasing competition from other automakers, Jeep has seen its growth falter in recent years.

Over the past few years, Jeep (owned by the merged automaker of Fiat-Chrysler and the French PSA Group, now known as Stellantis) has seen sales numbers come down, days' supply on lots go up compared with industry competitors, and brand loyalty decline. The auto icon is looking to turn that around.

There's no denying that Jeep has been an icon since its founding in 1941.

A 1974 Jeep Cherokee.FCA Group

But Jeep sales have been down in recent years.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.Jeep

Jeep loyalty is also shifting.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.Jeep

And Jeep has more inventory sitting on lots right now than many of its peers.

1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.Jeep

All sorts of challenges have hit the Jeep brand and most of its lineup in recent years.

Jeep Wranglers are displayed at a Manhattan Fiat Chrysler dealership on July 23, 2018 in New York City.Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Company leadership knows these hurdles are the result of a confluence of factors, not only for Jeep, but many of its auto brands.

2014 Jeep Cherokee.Jeep

Enter: Competitors

The Ford Bronco Heritage Edition.Ford

There's a cool factor in the Bronco, and it's attracting Jeep drivers.

The 2022 Ford Bronco.Ford

A similar story can be seen at other notable name plates under Stellantis, including Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler. These brands are facing similar challenges, causing the automaker's market share overall to wane.

The 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown.Alanis King

A similar story can be seen at other notable name plates under Stellantis, including Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler. These brands are facing similar challenges, causing the automaker's market share overall to wane.

Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler have had the same inventory build-up as Jeep. As a result, the brands are pushing bigger and bigger incentives.

Chrysler Pacifica.Chrysler

But Jeep, these other well-known brands, and Stellantis as a whole, is looking toward the future now.

Over the past few years, Jeep has seen lower sales numbers, brand loyalty decline, and more inventory — as have other Stellantis brands. The automaker is looking to turn that around.Jeep

Like most automakers, the company is racing to electrify and snatch up EV market share.

The Jeep Recon electric SUV.Jeep

French planemaker Dassault is building a brand new $53 million private jet and it's just inches from certification. Meet the Falcon 6X.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

What happened to Jeep? The mother of all SUVs has lost its edge as sales fall and cars pile up on dealer lots

There's no denying that Jeep has been an icon since its founding in 1941.

But Jeep sales have been down in recent years.

Jeep loyalty is also shifting.

And Jeep has more inventory sitting on lots right now than many of its peers.

All sorts of challenges have hit the Jeep brand and most of its lineup in recent years.

Company leadership knows these hurdles are the result of a confluence of factors, not only for Jeep, but many of its auto brands.

Enter: Competitors

There's a cool factor in the Bronco, and it's attracting Jeep drivers.

A similar story can be seen at other notable name plates under Stellantis, including Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler. These brands are facing similar challenges, causing the automaker's market share overall to wane.

Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler have had the same inventory build-up as Jeep. As a result, the brands are pushing bigger and bigger incentives.

But Jeep, these other well-known brands, and Stellantis as a whole, is looking toward the future now.

Like most automakers, the company is racing to electrify and snatch up EV market share.