Jeep Gladiator sales drop, union blames 4xe Plug-In

The Jeep Gladiator was an instant hit upon its launch. With the same off-road capabilities as the iconic Wrangler but entering the market with a more practical body style, it quickly gained fans and became a best-seller. However, sales have declined over the past few years, prompting Stellantis to lay off more than 1,100 people at the Gladiator plant.

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In 2021, Jeep Gladiator sales peaked in the United States at nearly 90,000 units, and sales are also good in 2020 and 2022. However, sales plummeted to 55,188 units in 2023, with only 32,670 units finding homes across the country as of September this year. This decline may be attributed to several factors.

READ: Stellantis to cut more than 1,100 jobs in Toledo, slash Gladiator production

Jeep has been slow to launch its 4xe plug-in hybrid truck, which won’t be available until next year. The 4xe version of the Wrangler has proven popular since its launch in 2021, with the Jeep brand ranking first in U.S. plug-in hybrid sales. Bruce Baumhower, president of the UAW Local 12 union that represents workers at the Toledo Assembly Complex where the Gladiator is made, is frustrated that the Gladiator 4xe wasn’t launched sooner but believes it will boost sales.

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“If we can get that hybrid, that will bring some power to the car,” he told Automotive News. Cox Automotive senior editor Matt Degen said it’s also possible that most people who want a Gladiator of consumers have purchased one, which explains the decline in sales. Some shoppers may also be priced out. For example, the Gladiator starts at $39,995, while the Gladiator’s main competitor, the Toyota Tacoma, starts at $31,500.

“It happens with those niche cars – the PT Cruiser, the New Beetle, the Gladiator – the fans get it, and then the average person who doesn’t care about the Jeep name sees it and says… ‘I What did you pay for? ‘” added Autotrader editor Brian Moody. “Jeep people know what they’re paying for, and they’re happy to do it, but not everyone is.”

Falling demand for Gladiators has led to massive layoffs. Earlier this month, news broke that 1,139 workers at Jeep’s Toledo plant would be laid off indefinitely as soon as January 5. Jeep is reducing pickup truck production from two shifts to one shift. The United Auto Workers union has expressed strong opposition to these and other recent cuts made by Stellantis, The Detroit News reported.

“These indefinite layoffs are unacceptable and we will do everything we can to crack down on breaches of our contracts,” the union said in a recent letter. “We are also taking action to ensure jobs are no longer cut short by the federal trade agreement.” We will have to fight on multiple fronts to save this company.”

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