Stellantis Korea to revive sales with new vehicles from Jeep, Peugeot

Stellantis Korea CEO Bang Sil speaks during a press conference at its headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Stellantis Korea

Stellantis Korea will revive its 2026 sales momentum by launching two new strategic lineups — Peugeot’s 5008 hybrid SUV and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, its CEO Bang Sil told reporters during a press conference, Thursday.

Bang, who took the helm at Stellantis Korea on Feb. 1, 2024, is now entering her third year as CEO, facing mounting challenges as the carmaker grapples with declining vehicle sales.

The carmaker recently began accepting pre-orders for the Peugeot 5008, a premium SUV, ahead of its official launch in Korea this February.

The third-generation 5008 is equipped with Stellantis’ much-touted electrification platform, the STLA Medium, which makes the vehicle a well-balanced option in terms of fuel efficiency and environmental friendliness, the carmaker said.

“The 5008 SUV will play an important role in refreshing Peugeot’s momentum and drive a turnaround of the brand in Korea,” Bang said. “The model is a mid-size SUV with solid demand from customers.”

The fully redesigned vehicle offers improved interior space, flexible seating configurations and versatile cargo options — qualities the carmaker says are essential for a family SUV.

Peugeot’s 5008 hybrid SUV / Courtesy of Stellantis Korea

However, Jeep remains a major sales driver for Stellantis Korea. A total of 2,072 Jeep vehicles were sold last year — more than double Peugeot’s 979 units during the same period. The brand’s performance relies heavily on its flagship Wrangler SUV, which accounted for more than half of Jeep’s total sales in Korea last year.

Aiming to boost sales across its Jeep lineup, Stellantis Korea plans to launch the Grand Cherokee's facelift in Korea in 2026.

“For Jeep, we will focus more on strengthening the symbolic image of Jeep and Wrangler this year,” Bang said. “Stellantis Korea also expects the upcoming Grand Cherokee facelift to jump into the ongoing SUV bandwagon with strong sales,” Bang said.

Stellantis Korea has to achieve a major sales rebound to defend itself from emerging threats posed by price-competitive electric vehicle (EV) makers, such as China’s BYD. Tesla is also rapidly expanding its presence here with a special focus on boosting sales for its affordable entry-level lineups.

Jeep's Wrangler Rubicon SUV / Courtesy of Stellantis Korea

According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association, combined sales of Jeep and Peugeot vehicles have gradually declined over the past few years, reaching 3,051 units in 2025 — a 53.5 percent drop from two years earlier.

The carmaker also faces challenges in its EV strategy, as it currently has no all-electric models available for sale in Korea.

“We consider introducing Peugeot’s E-3008 and E-5008 EVs, but it will take some more time for us to fix the exact timeline, as their imported sales price will not be competitive enough in Korea for the time being,” Bang said.