To say that Dodge had a difficult 2025 is an understatement. In fact, this American division of Stellantis saw its sales decline by 28% year over year, with only 101,927 models sold on the American market.
2025 was a tough year for Dodge, with a 28% sales decline
Electric Dodge Charger Daytona: only 7,421 sales
The return of the gas-powered Charger represents hope for 2026
True, the lineup has shrunk in recent years, and the withdrawal at the end of 2023 of two cars that were selling quite well (Charger and Challenger) hurt. The brand was left with the Durango, whose platform dates back to 2011, the Hornet SUV, a simplified version of the Alfa Romeo Tonale, and the Charger Daytona, which is fully electric.
Let’s be honest, this isn’t the kind of arsenal you go to war with against your rivals.
What’s the Problem?
The problem is multifaceted at Dodge. The Durango is a prime example. Even though the product isn’t uninteresting, its design is seriously dated, and it will have to be reimagined to have any hope of survival. Ironically, it saw its sales increase by 37% in the United States last year. That can’t last, however.
As for the Hornet, it doesn’t meet expectations and is far too expensive. In 2025, only 9,365 units were sold on American soil, a decline of more than 50% from 2024.
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As for the all-electric Charger Daytona, it convinced only 7,421 buyers in 2025. That’s catastrophic. However, it’s not a surprise. Dodge has bet on muscle and V8 engines for 20 years with this type of vehicle. Suddenly, buyers are invited to switch to electric.
It’s like inviting a meat lover to become a vegetarian; the chances of success are slim.
Hope in 2026?
The good news for Dodge is that 2026 could hardly be worse. The first thing that will help is the arrival of the gas-powered Charger Daytona, the Sixpack variant, which will feature a six-cylinder engine. And we expect to see a V8 engine under the hood of this car a bit later, in the context of the policy change on the American side, which has eased restrictions on manufacturers that no longer meet CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) environmental standards.
But all of this is like putting a Band-Aid on an open wound. It will do for a while, but Dodge needs to come up with a more permanent solution to turn things around. More models, more diversity, and improved quality, not to mention reliability.
We’ll talk again at the end of 2026.
