Stellantis $STLA ( ▲ 1.6% ) has fired back at a team of influencers who posted a video on TikTok taking parts off the interior of a Jeep Recon at the Los Angeles Auto Show, calling the move “destructive and unprofessional.”
The details: The video, posted by the group of LA-based content creators who go by the name “The Middle Lane,” ridicules the build quality of the Recon show car in a TikTok video, which has garnered over one million views.
The influencers criticize the build quality of the Jeep—which made its debut at the LA Show, held last week—saying that the SUV is not worth its $65,000 sticker price.
Throughout the video, two individuals can be seen pointing out gaps in the Recon’s interior panels, disassembling parts, and shaking parts of the Jeep.
What they’re saying: "The vehicle in question is a preproduction show car, built exclusively for reveals and events to highlight the design inspiration for the final product.” said Stellantis spokesperson Kaileen Connelly (via Detroit Free Press). “These prototype units are typically hand-built and not intended to demonstrate final production, durability, quality, or integrity of materials."
Kaileen Connelly
Stellantis
Why it matters: Automakers are increasingly exposed to viral teardown-style content that can shape public perception of quality and value long before a vehicle reaches showrooms, forcing brands to respond in real time to influencer criticism of preproduction products.
Luke Miani, founder of The Middle Lane, disputes Stellantis’ claims that the actions were “destructive,” saying that the video clips show the influencers, “holding certain interior parts together were loose and the parts easily pop out by hand without damage.”
Luke Miani
The Middle Lane
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Between the lines: Either way, the viral Recon clip highlights the dilemma many automakers find themselves dealing with in the era of social media, in which influencers’ posts are often driven by a push to garner views, with little if any regard for the complexity, ethics, or processes of the automotive industry.
More than 36% of auto shoppers use influencer marketing as a part of their decision-making process when purchasing their next car, according to inBeat.
Over 60% of car buyers visit a car dealership or brand’s website after viewing a video about a certain vehicle, showcasing the impact of user-generated content.
46% of consumers consider car and automotive influencer marketing content to be trustworthy sources of information.
What they’re saying: “While the popularity of particular influencers is worth noting, the number of followers is rarely a reliable index of either accuracy (truth) or proper behavior (goodness),” writes the American psychologist Howard Gardner.
Bottom line: As influencer content gains outsized sway over shopper perception, OEMs like Stellantis are learning that a single viral video can put a new vehicle launch budget at risk—turning preproduction quirks and out-of-context footage into a reputational battle they have to fight in public.
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