Stellantis’ 1.2-liter three-cylinder PureTech engine is not well-regarded by consumers. Over the past 11 years, it has caused problems for thousands of motorists and, despite everything, Stellantis wanted to keep its name even for the new generation 100 and 136 horsepower 1.2 Mild Hybrid. Now, according to L’Argus, Stellantis is trying to make the name “PureTech” disappear from price lists. But be aware, they are not withdrawing the engine from the market. They are, in fact, just trying to “hide” the name.
Stellantis removes the name “PureTech” from catalogs: too much distrust from potential customers
The automotive Group has made the name “PureTech” disappear from Peugeot, Citroën, and DS catalogs. The goal is to convince distrustful potential buyers to complete the purchase, without saying too much about the engine under the hood. According to dealerships, customer distrust when the name “PureTech” was mentioned has influenced sales.
The problems encountered with the PureTech engine in recent years include excessive oil consumption, wear of the timing belt, and loss of power. In short, reliability issues of some importance.
Starting from September, therefore, Peugeot catalogs indicate the presence of a “100 HP” or “130 HP” engine, while Mild Hybrid versions are indicated as “Hybrid 100” or “Hybrid 136”. The same strategy has been used for Citroën and DS vehicles where, for example, for the C3 Aircross, the presence of a “Turbo 100 HP” engine is indicated. Will this be enough to make people forget the past of this engine? Probably yes, for those who are unaware of the facts.
Now it seems that Stellantis is also expanding towards plug-in hybrid technology. At the moment, in fact, the automotive Group is practically absent in this sector, but everything could change starting from 2025. As an alternative to electric vehicles, which are recording disappointing sales, Stellantis could offer the plug-in hybrid option, a good compromise towards the transition to electric.