JT a sales failure & doomed to same fate as the Scrambler?

[CJ5w4wdSmokyOnMyTail]

The gentleman in this video claims Gladiator sales have slowed significantly and, without better powertrain options, JTs are doomed to fail soon as 'too niche a vehicle'. I don't know what the latest sales figures show, but prior sales figures showed Gladiators as selling well enough.

Of course, I want the Gladiator to be very successful. But what if there was a reason the Scrambler was discontinued while the CJ/Wrangler platforms carried on? Was the Scrambler, like the JT, not a great pickup and not a great Wrangler, but only great at overlanding or other niche fun?

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[Kevin_D]

Gladiator sales for 2022 were off 13% vs. 2021. The whole Jeep brand was off 12%.
That said, there were nearly 78,000 JTs sold in 2022, more than 11% of total Jeep
sales.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see 1st Q 2023 sales numbers.

Kevin

 

[Chunky White]

I see as many Gladiators as I do the new four door wrangler and three times as many Gladiators as I do two door ones. I can throw a baseball from my driveway and hit two others in my small neighborhood. Both of those replaced other trucks. They are not for everybody and theres plenty of other options to choose from

I see more 2005-2015 Tacomas than I do the new ones or any other mid sized truck also

 

[CJ5w4wdSmokyOnMyTail]

Gladiator sales for 2022 were off 13% 2022 vs. 2021. The whole Jeep brand was off 12%.
That said, there were nearly 78,000 JTs sold in 2022, more than 10% of total Jeep
sales.

Guess we’ll have to wait and see 1st Q 2023 sales numbers.

Kevin

Thanks. Yes, I looked up Wrangler sales and they were also off about 12% last year from 2021. While Gladiator sales did decline some in 2022, they were about the same as 2020 sales.

I assume many (most?) JT sales are by people who would have otherwise bought a JL because I think people look at JTs as an off-road fun vehicle like a Wrangler more than as a regular pickup truck. I also image the cost to build a JT is reduced by the huge amount of parts it shares with the JL. So Stellantis doesn't need to sell as many JTs as say, Ford needs to sell Rangers, to make them profitable.

 

[ScottBeach]

Florida here. Get JTs on the lot and they will sell. 23s just started hitting lots. Been nothing for months as 22 inventory is long gone. I like many here would not have been a JL buyer. Need a bed. So sadly i would have gone the taco route if there was not a JT. I would love to see the JT v JL gender comparison. Around me JLU are mostly ladies. JT are 100% men. Might be very local or a national trend.

 

[Jefe1018]

Jeep will do what Jeep does and I’ll do what I do.. drive the heck out of mine.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

I’ll pass on the influencer video, but throw out there that I see a ton of JT’s around town. A LOT more than this time last year when I bought mine, so someone is buying them.

My two cents on the JT…as much as I like my JTR, I’ll say that for the average consumer…it’s a bit of an oddball vehicle. Sales are not the figure that would interest me…it’s 12+ month ownership/retention.

It rides like shit (the JTR rides like I’d expect a Jeep to ride…which is something I like) compared to everything I’ve driven in the segment and the interior is noisy. Those are both foreseeable “issues” for anyone that’s even remotely observant before purchasing, but they’re common complaints post-purchase for folks that bought it as a mid life crisis/lifestyle purchase.

I thoroughly enjoy my JTR, but I can see things that the average person wouldn’t be crazy about every time I go for a joy ride, so yes…it will be interesting to see if it’s still a viable model 3-5 years from now.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I see as many Gladiators as I do the new four door wrangler and three times as many Gladiators as I do two door ones. I can throw a baseball from my driveway and hit two others in my small neighborhood. Both of those replaced other trucks. They are not for everybody and theres plenty of other options to choose from

I see more 2005-2015 Tacomas than I do the new ones or any other mid sized truck also

It's regional. We saw a LOT of Gladiators when in Florida.
In Iowa - we MAY see one or two, the most we've ever seen when out and about around Polk County is 4 or 5. Some days, we may see one or none.
It's not a serious enough truck for our state - Farmers, contractors, etc. - the full size truck rules here. (meaning Silverado, etc.)
Jeeps here are Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Cherokee, Renegade, and Gladiator in that order.
Wranglers rule some days, but the Grand Cherokee is the official Jeep of our county.
I bet we see 20 Wranglers for every 1 Gladiator.
We were shocked when in Florida last fall - the number of Gladiators amazed us. We were just not used to seeing so many.
But it's not "truck territory" like Iowa and some other states where you need a truck because you need a TRUCK. Iowans don't care much about the convertible bit - weather is too goofy and unpredictable.

 

[MarylandMojave]

I think once people see them as the fun of a JLU with the convenience of a truck bed vs just an oddball truck, it makes sense. I see more now than ever, so someone is buying them.

 

[AKDrifter]

Remember back to the launch Jeep has always said they imagined the JT to be a higher priced product vs the competition at the sacrifice of being a huge seller. That was intentional. If they start seeing massive declines in sales they may entertain abandoning the JT, but they always knew that the JT was more niche than a Tacoma and weren't trying to grab the same buyers necessarily. Throwing power at a vehicle can make up for a lot of perceived faults though, that has always been true.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Remember when the Scrambler was made.
Less than 30,000 of them over that period.
1986 was the last year if I'm correct.
AMC was bleeding money because Renault raped and pillaged and sucked away all of the cash. (like they have a history of doing with other companies - they are a black widow)
Mother Mopar came in and bought up AMC and Jeep. My 87 Comanche had both AMC and MOPAR decals under the hood. So maybe MOPAR said kill the Scrambler?

Likely AMC was trying to save their last $$, or making themselves more tempting to a suitor.
Lee wanted Grand Cherokee and some new engine designs and didn't give a @#%$ about any of the rest so likely Scrambler would have been killed by Iacocca anyway the way he shredded and crushed so much else.

 

[Chunky White]

It's regional. We saw a LOT of Gladiators when in Florida.
In Iowa - we MAY see one or two, the most we've ever seen when out and about around Polk County is 4 or 5. Some days, we may see one or none.
It's not a serious enough truck for our state - Farmers, contractors, etc. - the full size truck rules here. (meaning Silverado, etc.)
Jeeps here are Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Cherokee, Renegade, and Gladiator in that order.
Wranglers rule some days, but the Grand Cherokee is the official Jeep of our county.
I bet we see 20 Wranglers for every 1 Gladiator.
We were shocked when in Florida last fall - the number of Gladiators amazed us. We were just not used to seeing so many.
But it's not "truck territory" like Iowa and some other states where you need a truck because you need a TRUCK. Iowans don't care much about the convertible bit - weather is too goofy and unpredictable.

Full size trucks are definitely more popular here than any other trucks. The parking lot at work is probably 70% trucks and half of those are 3/4 or 1 ton diesels. I have bought seven grand cherokees over the years but wanted a mid sized truck and actually use the bed some. I didn't want a Taco, Frontier or Ranger and the GM twins are getting a remodel soon so I didn't want another one yet. Our fleet trucks at work are all Silverados 1/2 and 3/4 ton depending on who's using them and what its used for. I have no need for a full sized truck and I am tired of parking them. I was comparing the Gladiator to the JL's that I see here in NE Tennessee not Wranglers in general which definitely out number the Gladiator since they have been sold for decades

 

[Jefe1018]

Remember back to the launch Jeep has always said they imagined the JT to be a higher priced product vs the competition at the sacrifice of being a huge seller. That was intentional. If they start seeing massive declines in sales they may entertain abandoning the JT, but they always knew that the JT was more niche than a Tacoma and weren't trying to grab the same buyers necessarily. Throwing power at a vehicle can make up for a lot of perceived faults though, that has always been true.

I agree with this sentiment. It was never about converting owners of Tacomas, Frontiers, Colorados, etc. It was about adding an option to those already drinking their kool aid. Although this is my first true solid axle 4x4, I’d always wanted a JKU and then a JLU, but the practicality and peculiar look of the JT seduced me to my own financial ruin.

 

[Rahkmalla]

It was never about converting owners of Tacomas, Frontiers, Colorados, etc.

I understand gladiators may not appeal to the entire small truck segment, but anyone looking at a ZR2, AT4, PRO-4X, Tremor, or TRD Off-Road/Pro who doesn't at least consider a gladiator is doing themselves a disservice.

I haven't sat in one of the new gm twins yet, but every other small truck has a back seat best utilized for children.

And while the glad may be a decent amount more money, the amount you'd have to spend on the competition to fit 35s would even that differential right away.

 

[Oilburner]

If they are really going to drop the diesel option, Jeep better step up their power game else they are gonna get left in the dust.

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