Chrysler Arrow: The American Fiat Grizzly.
The all-new Chrysler Arrow will be offered in two body styles. These new sub $30,000 models will be called the Arrow and Arrow Sport. And these will be very closely related to the new Fiat Grizzly. Basically, it looks like Chrysler will be selling the Fiat Grizzly in the US, with a redesigned front end. And possibly a new interior. And that could be it…
The new Chrysler Arrow will be available in the same 2 body styles as the Grizzly. The one pictured above and the more “coupe-like” model.
In Europe, the Fiat versions will offer ICE, Hybrid as well as EV powertrains. It seems to me that a Hybrid powertrain should at least be standard these days, but who knows. An EV option would also be quite nice.
It’s hard to realize, but brand differentiation does matter. Especially for a company like Chrysler, trying to rebuild relevance in a highly competitive market. But in the new Stellantis order, Chrysler is a minor brand compared to Fiat, Jeep or Peugeot. And it might not really get its own designs. Just like new Lancias and Opels, they could mostly be rebadged versions of Fiat or Peugeot designs.
The American market is filled with compact crossovers, and consumers already have countless generic choices. For Chrysler to succeed, it needs products with a clear personality and a strong reason to exist. Simply importing a Fiat design and changing the badges may save development costs, but it does little to strengthen Chrysler’s image or help define what the brand stands for in the future. Hopefully, Chrysler’s designers and executives understand that reviving a historic American brand requires more than filling gaps in the lineup.
So far the design doesn’t seem horrible. It could be an alternative to a Honda H-RV or Buick Encore. The “sub-$30,000” quoted price is fine but not that amazing. The HR-V starts at under $27,000. and the Encore GX at $26,200.
It seems the new Chrysler Arrow would really need to be priced closer to $25,000 than $30,000. Unless it offers more power or a Hybrid powertrain standard.
Who knows…