Stellantis remains one of the world’s largest automakers, but in the United States its recent reputation for vehicle quality has been uneven. That contrast has become harder to ignore as the company pushes a new wave of products into showrooms and tries to rebuild confidence with dealers and customers alike.
According to the 2025 J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study, Stellantis delivered a split performance across its brands. Dodge and Jeep both finished above the industry average, while Chrysler and Ram landed much lower in the rankings. The study measures the number of problems owners report during the first 90 days of ownership, and Dodge posted the best result among Stellantis brands at 180 problems per 100 vehicles, good enough for seventh place. Jeep finished 11th, while Chrysler ranked 23rd and Ram 25th. For comparison, Lexus topped the overall chart at 166 problems per 100 vehicles, while Ram posted 218.
That kind of inconsistency is exactly what Stellantis is now trying to address. The company has hired more than 2,000 new engineers in recent months and launched what executives have described as a deep internal reset of its quality and execution processes. The move comes at a critical moment, with Stellantis preparing to support a broad product rollout across several brands and regions.
A Company-Wide Quality Reset
Some dealers believe part of the problem can be traced back to earlier cost-cutting under former CEO Carlos Tavares. In their view, reducing engineering resources created the conditions for some of the quality trouble Stellantis has faced more recently. The difficult launch of the electric Dodge Charger Daytona, which reportedly arrived with a number of software-related issues, has become one of the most visible examples.
Current CEO Antonio Filosa has signaled that he wants a different approach. During Stellantis’ full year 2025 results presentation in February, he said the company is resetting execution and improving quality management processes to deal with problems caused by past decisions. The broader strategy inside Stellantis has been described as a global push aimed at raising product quality as new models reach the market.
A key part of that effort is Chief Quality Officer Sébastien Jacquet, who joined the role in June 2025 and is now part of the leadership team responsible for improving standards across the company. Stellantis says Jacquet brings nearly 25 years of experience in quality, engineering, research and development, and project management.
Dealer voices in the U.S. have been especially direct. Sean Hogan, chairman of the Stellantis National Dealer Council, has argued that major engineering cuts and expectations for unchanged quality were never going to align. From that perspective, Filosa’s decision to spend money on engineering talent is less about optics and more about repairing capabilities the company needs to compete.
New Platforms Bring New Risks
Stellantis also faces the challenge of launching vehicles that rely on new platforms, new software, and more advanced technology. That is often the point where automakers are most vulnerable to early quality trouble. Models such as the Jeep Wagoneer S and Dodge Charger Daytona have already drawn attention for recalls and launch related concerns, reinforcing the idea that new hardware and new software can quickly expose weaknesses in development and validation.
That pattern is hardly unique to Stellantis. In the broader industry, brand new platforms and major technology shifts often create a spike in owner complaints during the first months on the road. By contrast, the most dependable automakers tend to evolve proven components over time instead of replacing everything at once. That is one reason companies like Toyota and Subaru are often praised for long-term consistency.
There is also a product strategy angle here. It will be worth watching whether Stellantis benefits from bringing the HEMI V8 back to the Ram 1500 and from stepping back from parts of its earlier electrification plan. The company has already acknowledged that it overestimated the pace of the energy transition and has begun reshaping its lineup around a broader mix of gasoline, hybrid, and electric offerings.
Why This Matters Now
The timing is especially important because Stellantis needs stronger execution, not just more new products. In its full year 2025 results, the company reported a net loss of €22.3 billion, which is roughly $24 billion, after taking major charges tied to strategic changes and warranty-related items. In that environment, better quality is not just a reputation issue. It is a business necessity.
That is particularly true in North America, where Jeep and Ram remain central to Stellantis’ recovery plans and broader profitability. If those brands cannot deliver dependable launches and stronger early ownership experiences, rebuilding market share becomes much harder.
In today’s auto industry, even the biggest manufacturers can lose customer trust quickly when reliability starts to slip. For Stellantis, fixing quality may now matter every bit as much as launching the next headline-grabbing model, and possibly even more.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.