Chrysler’s Stock is Down 40%... THIS is The #1 Culprit

Remember when minivans were the family car to have? Back then, if you didn’t have one, were you even a parent? Soccer moms were highway royalty, sliding doors were cutting-edge, and owning one meant you were living the dream. Now? Minivans are like shake weights… nobody wants them anymore, and Chrysler is holding onto them like my dad holds onto that fading combover (despite all evidence suggesting it’s time to let go).

In the early 2000s, 1.4 million Americans proudly signed their names on minivan purchase contracts. Last year? Just 306,000 people made that shameful pilgrimage to the dealership (probably muttering, “It’s for the kids”). That's not a decline… that's a couple steps from extinction.

Who’s to blame for this? America’s obsession with SUVs. These gas-guzzling giants are showing up in every driveway across America. Last year, over 52% of new auto sales were SUVs, leaving Chrysler’s minivan singing a sad song at the dealer’s parking lot.

Chrysler was once a dang American institution. We're talking about one of the Big Three, with a name as iconic as the Chrysler Building piercing the New York skyline. Now, it’s essentially automotive roadkill.

The Pacifica (Chrysler's lone minivan) is struggling quite a bit to say the least. Sales are down 44% in the most recent quarter. And at this rate, the minivan is less a vehicle and more a rolling memorial to what once was.

Why are families ghosting minivans like a teen scrambling to hide their browser history? Easy… SUVs have the “cool factor” minivans can only dream of. One millennial mom from New Jersey said “her family won’t be caught dead in a minivan”, probably while adjusting her designer sunglasses.

What’s funny is that Chrysler literally invented the minivan. It was a brilliant concept of design and packaging that revolutionized family transportation. Now it's about as relevant as a CD player at a Spotify convention.

Stellantis, Chrysler's parent company, is basically performing automotive triage right now. Their stock is down 40% this year, US sales sank 20%, and their CEO just recently resigned (let’s be honest, he got fired).

So, who still buys minivans? Surprisingly, it's not just sad-sack parents. About 30% of minivan sales go to Baby Boomers… the grandparent demographic who appreciate spacious, comfortable rides for their post-retirement adventures. Another 20% are fleet sales for rentals.

Experts are brutally frank. "You're down to one model in a segment that is barely hanging on. There's no life in that brand," says Ivan Drury from Edmunds. 

Stellantis is pinning their hopes on an all-electric Pacifica for 2026, but let’s be real: that’s like taping a Tesla badge on a toaster and calling it revolutionary. Sure, maybe it’ll turn heads for a minute, but unless it comes with a free SUV, no one’s biting.

Stocks.News has positions in Stellantis and Tesla mentioned in article.