Jeep Cuts Gladiator Pricing Amid Ongoing Sales Slump

Jeep, along with Ram, are Stellantis’ cash cows, providing the funding for brands that, if not on life support, don’t realize nearly the profits that these American powerhouse brands bring. So, you have to wonder: What took Stellantis so long to realize that Jeep had issues — major issues.

The latest evidence comes from an announcement made on Wednesday by Stellantis that Jeep Gladiator pricing is being “repositioned.”

“We’ve listened to our off-road truck community, reducing MSRPs across the lineup and adding standard features, making the appeal of Jeep Gladiator stronger than ever,” said Bob Broderdorf, senior vice president of Jeep North America.

Well, the prices aren’t cut “across the lineup.” Comparing the announced 2025 prices to what’s shown on Jeep’s consumer site, you’ll find the Gladiator’s entry-level Sport trim, as well as the Willys trim, costs $205 more.

So, as the company crows about how the Wrangler starts at less than $40,000, that’s always been the case. The 2024 Wrangler Sport starts at $37,895. The 2025 model starts at $38,100.

However, the rest of the lineup gets noticeable price reductions, with the Nighthawk dropping $2,890 to $40,895, while the Mojave and Rubicon models get a $5,830 price chop, dropping their starting price to $51,100.

Whether this will make a difference remains to be seen.

Slumping numbers

Jeep’s annual sales reached 973,227 units in 2018, according to Automotive News. It was a high-water mark for the brand, as it’s been all downhill since. In 2023, annual sale totaled 642,924, down nearly 34%. Through the first six months of this year, Jeep sold 304,186 vehicles, down 31,3% from the same period a year earlier. Annually, that pencils out to 608,372 units, or down another 5.4%.

So, it’s little wonder that running Jeep has become the equivalent of being the drummer for Spinal Tap, as Stellantis executives throw everything at the brand to see if anything sticks.

Maserati of the Americas CEO Bill Peffer was brought in to replace longtime brand chief Jim Morrison in December 2023. Peffer was replaced in June by the aforementioned Bob Broderdorf, fresh off his stint as senior vice president of Ram. Peffer is now head of North American dealer network development.

The management change came after Jeep reported a 21% decline in second-quarter sales in a market where demand rose 1.7%.

So, what’s the problem?

While the company keeps shuffling executives, some have complained that Jeep prices are too high. Yet that doesn’t prove true.

In 2014, a Jeep Wrangler two-door — which is no longer offered — started at $29,790, according to KBB.com. That’s $35,700 today, according to the Federal Reserve’s Inflation Calculator. Yet the least-expensive 2024 Jeep Wrangler — a four-door — starts at $31,995.

Similarly, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, which started at $29,790 in 2014, or $39,397 adjusted for inflation, starts at $38,035 a decade later.

SO, what’s the problem?

Others may cite reliability, although Jeeps have never been known for that. Ever.

Perhaps, it’s something more ethereal: the hipness factor.

The Jeep Wrangler is a World War II icon, a reminder of America’s power and place in the world. It liberated foreign lands, climbs over just about anything in its path and is the only vehicle with removable doors and roof, and a folding windshield.

More Jeep Stories

• Jeep Teases New 2024 Easter Jeep Safari Concepts
• Jeep Drops Prices, Prepares to Launch First EV — and Hints “Range-Extender” May Follow
• 2023 Jeep Compass Gets Much Needed Heart Transplant

Cool? Always

But perhaps, just perhaps, the escalating sales of the previous decade were an exception not a rule. Perhaps it was a momentary mania whose time has passed. Just ask Volkswagen as it has tried to revive its popularity by poking the corpse of Beetle or Microbus nostalgia.

But Jeeps have always been profitable for automakers whose other cars weren’t always bringing home the bacon, including Willys, Kaiser, AMC, Chrysler, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat Chrysler and now Stellantis. So, Jeep will survive. Whether its stablemates do is open to question. If you look at Jeep’s history, it’s a brand that always outlives its parent company or its corporate siblings.

Eagle sedan anyone?