After years of missteps under Carlos Tavares, Stellantis is showing its first real turnaround. The automaker closed out the third quarter with a 6% increase in sales, totaling over 340,000 vehicles sold — a crucial milestone signaling that Kuniskis’ strategy is working.
Dodge may still be struggling, but the rest of the American brands under the Stellantis umbrella — particularly Ram and Jeep — are carrying the recovery. The return of the HEMI V8 in models like the Durango and Ram 1500 has re-energized the lineup. Even Chrysler, with little more than its aging minivan, managed to outsell Dodge this quarter, highlighting just how out of step Dodge had been with what buyers wanted.
The company’s leadership appears to have learned from its mistakes. Instead of pushing electric conversions and overpriced packages, Stellantis is focusing again on gas-powered performance and value. The new Durango HEMI GT is now cheaper than last year’s V6 version — a move that has resonated strongly with customers looking for traditional muscle without a six-figure price tag.
“Build what consumers want, and they’ll buy it,” one industry insider put it simply.
Behind the scenes, Kuniskis has reportedly stabilized pricing and begun reshaping Dodge’s lineup around affordable SRTs, revived HEMI trucks, and a future Ram SUV aimed squarely at regaining market share from Ford and GM. The coming months are expected to bring additional product reveals — including new Ram performance variants and possibly a “halo” car to re-establish Dodge’s muscle identity.
While a 6% bump may seem modest, it’s monumental considering the state Stellantis was in earlier this year. The turnaround in just two quarters shows the impact of decisive leadership and customer-first adjustments.
With V8 engines returning across the lineup, prices trending down, and new models in the pipeline, Stellantis’ American brands appear to be back on track — and investors are starting to notice.
