The Chrysler Airflow could reach U.S. dealerships in late 2027 as a 2028 model, bringing the brand back into the compact SUV segment with gasoline and hybrid powertrains. Car and Driver describes a project that differs from the electric concept shown in 2022, with boxier styling and a multi-energy platform. Several of the technical details and prices reported by the publication remain estimates.
Chrysler Airflow could return as a multi-energy rival to the RAV4 and CR-V
The expected positioning would place the Airflow against the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue, with a stronger focus on on-road comfort to distinguish it from the Jeep Cherokee. Chrysler would therefore return to the SUV market after the Aspen disappeared in 2009, expanding a lineup that has focused mainly on minivans in recent years following the end of the 300 sedan.
Car and Driver expects the starting price to remain below $40,000 and estimates around $31,000 for the entry-level version, with higher trims slightly above $40,000. Chrysler could also position the Arrow and Arrow Cross below the Airflow, two smaller crossovers derived from the Fiat Grizzly and reportedly targeted at prices under $30,000.
The report links the Airflow to the STLA One platform, which the future Dodge GLH could also use. The modular architecture would support internal-combustion, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, along with 800-volt electric systems. The program would also include STLA Brain for electronic and software management and STLA SmartCockpit for infotainment, while fully electric versions could use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.
Among the possibilities considered by Car and Driver is the powertrain from the Jeep Cherokee, which combines a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for a total output of 210 hp. A gasoline-only version could use the same combustion engine, rated at 177 hp. Front-wheel drive could serve as the entry-level configuration, with all-wheel drive also available.
The 2.0-liter Hurricane four-cylinder remains another possibility. Car and Driver believes the 324-hp version could be reserved for the Dodge GLH, leaving the Airflow with a different state of tune or a potential hybrid setup. A plug-in hybrid version also remains under consideration.
An electric Airflow could arrive after the combustion-powered versions, following a different timeline from the one originally envisioned for the 2022 concept. The platform’s flexibility would allow Chrysler to expand the lineup over time without tying the SUV’s launch to a single type of powertrain.