Stellantis is yet again forced to put the brakes on production for several slow-selling models. The Alfa Romeo Tonale is the headliner, and that’s hardly a surprise. Although the Italian brand was happy to report that total deliveries in Europe were up by a third in the first half of the year, the compact crossover actually dragged down the results.
Numbers published by market researcher Dataforce and cited by Automotive News Europe show demand plummeted by 42.1 percent through August, falling to just 10,840 units. The Tonale isn’t faring any better in the United States, where Alfa Romeo sold 1,156 vehicles in the first half of the year, a 28-percent drop. Its American cousin, the Dodge Hornet, fell even harder, down 52 percent to 5,647 cars over the same period.
Given weakening demand, Stellantis is halting production at the Pomigliano factory in Italy from September 29 to October 10. The badge-engineered Dodge Hornet is also made there and shipped to the US. A facelifted Tonale is reportedly due this fall, and might help turn things around in 2026, but we wouldn’t hold our breath.
Reuters reports the Fiat Panda, built at the same plant, will also be on pause between September 29 and October 6. It’s not the first time production of the aging small car has been suspended due to poor sales. Stellantis continues to sell the 14-year-old model even after the launch of the Grande Panda in 2024. Dataforce figures show the Panda is down about five percent this year in Europe, slipping from 89,307 to 84,793 cars between January and August.
The Tonale and Panda aren’t the only Stellantis products heading for a production break. Assembly of the Opel Mokka and DS3 will be temporarily suspended from October 13 to 31. Both models are manufactured at the French plant in Poissy, where Stellantis is reducing output “to adapt its production rate to a difficult market in Europe,” according to a spokesperson cited by Reuters.
As for Stellantis overall, its European performance hasn’t been great so far this year. Figures published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) show sales declined by 8.1 percent through July, falling to 1,192,746 units. Opel/Vauxhall, Citroën, Fiat, DS, and Lancia are all down, while Peugeot, Jeep, and Alfa Romeo are up compared to last year.
Alfa Romeo has been able to offset the Tonale’s slump with the smaller Junior, a subcompact crossover that Stellantis hasn’t brought to the U.S. This B-segment model has already racked up more than 45,000 orders across 38 countries, with demand expected to grow as it enters additional markets.
