Starting October 1, 2026, Stellantis USA is officially changing the rules of engagement for how American Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram dealerships advertise new vehicle prices.
Under an updated marketing agreement, the automotive giant has introduced the Minimum Allowable Advertised Pricing policy, universally known as MAAP. If you have ever spent a late night online hunting for a new truck or SUV, you are all too familiar with the classic internet bait-and-switch: a jaw-dropping low price on a shiny Jeep Grand Cherokee that magically inflates by thousands of dollars the moment you realize you do not simultaneously qualify as an active-duty military first responder who also happens to hold a college degree and own three previous Dodge vehicles.
The new MAAP guidelines set a strict baseline for the prices dealers can display publicly across dealership websites, search engine ads, social media campaigns, promotional emails, and third-party inventory portals.
However, rest assured that this policy strictly governs initial marketing communications, not final transaction prices. The advertised figure will now only reflect the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), select dealer-installed equipment, dealer discounts, and rebates available to every single walk-in customer.
Targeted incentives, such as military bonuses, emergency responder perks, and brand loyalty discounts, must now be clearly listed separately rather than lumped together into one unrealistically low fantasy price.
By forcing dealers to isolate these conditional savings, Stellantis aims to eliminate the headache of phantom online deals. Buyers searching through online listings will now get a transparent side-by-side comparison of actual universally applicable prices before reaching out for an official quote.
While this means online prices might initially look slightly higher on digital billboards, the actual cost out-of-pocket remains entirely negotiable behind closed showroom doors. In short, Stellantis isn’t killing off heavy discounts or stopping you from wrestling with a sales manager over a Ram 1500. It is simply forcing dealers to stop misleading customers with fine print.
To get the absolute best deal, buyers will still need to request a personalized quote, verify their specific eligible incentives, and engage in the traditional dealership haggling dance.
