February 2016: FCA US LLC

[William Maley]

FCA US LLC Reports February 2016 U.S. Sales Increased 12 Percent; Best February Sales Since 2006

• 71st consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains
• Jeep® brand sales up 23 percent; best February sales ever
• Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass record their best February sales ever
• Dodge brand sales up 12 percent; Dodge Journey and Dodge Challenger log their best February sales ever
• Ram pickup truck posts best February sales ever

March 1, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - FCA US LLC today reported U.S. sales of 182,879 units, a 12 percent increase compared with sales in February 2015 (163,586 units), and the group’s best February sales in 10 years.

 

The Jeep®, Dodge and Ram Truck brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in February compared with the same month a year ago. The Ram Truck brand’s 27 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any FCA US brand during the month. The group extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 71 consecutive months.

 

“Continued strong consumer demand for our Jeep vehicles drove the Jeep brand to its best February sales ever, while our Ram pickup truck and Ram vans recorded their best February sales ever,” said Reid Bigland, Senior Vice President - Sales, FCA - North America. “Overall, FCA US realized its best February sales in 10 years and our 71st consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases.”

 

Nine FCA US vehicles set records in the month of February, including four Jeep brand vehicles. The Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each posted their best February sales ever. In addition, the Ram pickup truck, Ram ProMaster, Ram ProMaster City vans, Dodge Journey crossover and Dodge Challenger muscle car each posted their best February sales ever.

 

FCA US finished the month of February with an 88-day supply of inventory (673,494 units). U.S. industry sales figures for February are internally projected at an estimated 17.9 million units Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR).

 

Ram Truck Brand

Ram Truck brand sales, which include the Ram pickup, Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City, were up 27 percent in February, the brand’s best February sales since 2002. Ram pickup truck sales were up 23 percent last month, its best February sales ever. U.S. News & World Report last month named the 2016 Ram 1500 the “Best Full-size Truck for the Money.” It was the third year in a row that Ram’s half-ton entry has won the award. Both the Ram ProMaster and Ram ProMaster City vans recorded their best February sales ever. The Ram Truck brand unveiled the 2017 Ram Power Wagon last month at the Chicago Auto Show. The new Power Wagon features a number of off-road-specific enhancements, including a unique suspension with more than two inches of lift, locking differentials and a 12,000-lb. winch, giving it a significant advantage over all production pickups.

 

Jeep® Brand

Jeep brand sales were up 23 percent in February, the brand’s best February sales ever and its 29th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The Jeep brand has set a sales record in every month dating back to November 2013. The Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass each recorded their best February sales ever. The Compass’ 54 percent increase was the largest year-over-year percentage gain of any Jeep brand vehicle in the month. The Jeep Grand Cherokee’s 12 percent increase marked its best February sales since 2005. Sales of the Jeep Renegade, the brand’s newest entry in its product lineup, were up 6 percent compared with the previous month of January. For a second-consecutive year, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited earned Kelley Blue Book’s lowest “5-Year Cost to Own Award” in the mid-size SUV/crossover category.

 

Dodge Brand

Dodge brand sales were up 12 percent last month, the brand’s best February sales since 2014 and its third consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. Sales of the Dodge Journey were up 3 percent, the crossover’s best February sales ever. The Dodge Challenger muscle car also turned in its best February sales ever. The Dodge Grand Caravan’s 95 percent increase was the largest percentage sales gain of any Dodge brand vehicle in the month and its best February sales since 2012. The 2016 Grand Caravan last month earned the Kelley Blue Book “5-Year Cost to Own Award” in the minivan/van category for the second time in three years. The Dodge Durango’s 22 percent increase was its best February sales performance in 10 years. The 2016 Durango is getting two new appearance packages in time for spring: Brass Monkey and Anodized Platinum. These new appearance packages will start arriving in dealerships in the second quarter of 2016.

 

FIAT Brand

Sales of the Fiat 500X – the latest addition to the FIAT lineup in North America – were up 52 percent in February, compared with the previous month of January. FIAT brand sales, which include the Fiat 500, Fiat 500L and 500X, were down 9 percent in February, compared with the same month a year ago. The Fiat 500 is the highest-ranking City Car in J.D. Power’s 2016 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study. The FIAT brand has a new addition to its product lineup on the way this summer – the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider nearly 50 years after its introduction, the 124 Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety, combined with iconic Italian design.

 

Chrysler Brand

Sales of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan were up 16 percent in February, the minivan’s best February sales in eight years. Chrysler 300 sales were up 10 percent, the full-size sedan’s best February sales in three years. Chrysler brand sales were down 26 percent in February, compared with the same month a year ago. Coming this spring is the all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, followed by the Pacifica Hybrid arriving in the fall of 2016. The Pacifica offers an all-new platform from the ground up, which will provide more than 100 standard and available safety features, making it the most comprehensive suite of safety features in the segment, including Surround View camera, which uses four cameras positioned around the vehicle to provide a bird’s-eye perspective of the vehicle and its surroundings.

 

[G. David Felt]

I am going to have to challenge the sanity of the JD Powers 2016 report on Dependability as that is not what one sees with the garbage Fiat product line here in Seattle.

 

I have never seen more auto's broken down along side the road or just sitting for sale. The autos are a joke. The product line should just die and invest the money back into the American product lines.

[Drew Dowdell]

It baffles me how they are still able to manage nearly 20k Patriot/Compasses a month.   Aren't they two of the oldest models on sale industry wide at this point?

[ccap41]

Completely agree, Drew. They just look sooooo old at this point. Especially when you have the Renegade, Cherokee, and Grand Cherokee all on the same lot. 

[Stew]

Simply put, price.  They drive well and are still good vehicles.  i would own another one.  The 6 speed auo that was introduced for 14 also helped with a major boost to sales.  Everyone I know that owns one absolutely loves them.  I hope all of those sales stick around when they are replaced with a single model soon.

[FordCosworth]

Ouch.

 

The 200 down 58% YOY to 6,597 units for Feb/16

 

Thats horrid.

[Stew]

Ouch.

 

The 200 down 58% YOY to 6,597 units for Feb/16

 

Thats horrid.

Leave it to you to find the one low spot.  Anyways, this is simply because they removed incentives in a class where the highest incentives and lowest price gets the sale. 

[ccap41]

Well, in all fairness, that is a massive drop in sales. I understand why as Drew has explained it before but it is still a massive drop off. 

[Drew Dowdell]

It's just a return to norm. 

[smk4565]

I don't think Chrysler brand will be around in 2020.  They are already going to kill the 200, to what sell a 300 that has barely changed since 2005, and the Pacifica?  

[ocnblu]

When parked side by side and compared in the glare of day, I prefer the conservative, solid look of the Patriot to the goofy, cutesy, overdecorated Renegade.  I sincerely hope the Patriot's replacement does not go the goofy, cutesy route.  They've gone outlandish with the (crazy selling) Cherokee... I think a nice, manly Patriot replacement is definitely needed to temper the weirdness just above and below.

[Stew]

When parked side by side and compared in the glare of day, I prefer the conservative, solid look of the Patriot to the goofy, cutesy, overdecorated Renegade.  I sincerely hope the Patriot's replacement does not go the goofy, cutesy route.  They've gone outlandish with the (crazy selling) Cherokee... I think a nice, manly Patriot replacement is definitely needed to temper the weirdness just above and below.

I agree, though from photos it is looking mini GC.  I think they just got such a great design with the Patriot.  it just screams Jeep with elements of the XJ and Wrangler baked into the design. 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Stew

[ccap41]

 

When parked side by side and compared in the glare of day, I prefer the conservative, solid look of the Patriot to the goofy, cutesy, overdecorated Renegade.  I sincerely hope the Patriot's replacement does not go the goofy, cutesy route.  They've gone outlandish with the (crazy selling) Cherokee... I think a nice, manly Patriot replacement is definitely needed to temper the weirdness just above and below.

I agree, though from photos it is looking mini GC.  I think they just got such a great design with the Patriot.  it just screams Jeep with elements of the XJ and Wrangler baked into the design. 

 

Agreed, I like that they still have something other than the Wrangler with the harder, tougher body lines that isn't getting too soft. Even though I'm not a huge an of the current Patriot/Compass I still like the idea that they aren't all "cutesy" yet.