2020 Jeep Pickup Truck - Gladiator

[Sliver]

At long last, Jeep is releasing a pickup truck this year:



Anybody considering this? Seems like a super fun vehicle with a great practical side. My needs lean more toward full-size trucks now, but I have had Rangers, a Tacoma and Nissan trucks in the past. I'd take this Jeep over any of those, I think. Love convertibles, so it's super cool you can get a truck convertible now.

Speaking of the new Ranger - lame. Two thumbs down.

[Fuzz]

It looks super awkward. Maybe like what you would get if Homer Simpson designed a pickup truck.


It's also bonkers expensive for a mid sized pickup, starting at $35k USD, which is, what $45k CAD? Who's buying this thing at that price? Looks like a Tacoma 4x4 w/ 4 door starts at $40k. And I'll let you guess who's vehicle I trust more for build quality...

[Locke]

Looks pretty sharp, but thats a pretty steep sticker price for something like that.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

They are going to sell a gazillion of these things...

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

It looks super awkward. Maybe like what you would get if Homer Simpson designed a pickup truck.

It's also bonkers expensive for a mid sized pickup, starting at $35k USD, which is, what $45k CAD? Who's buying this thing at that price? Looks like a Tacoma 4x4 w/ 4 door starts at $40k. And I'll let you guess who's vehicle I trust more for build quality...

Price doesn't seem outlandish. You're not just getting a nice truck (which the Tacoma definitely is) - you're also getting a convertible, a toy, something fun to look at (that part is a matter of opinion, I guess), access to a gigantic after market experience, and a more capable off-roader. The Tacoma looks great, but the Jeep is way cooler looking than the Ranger, as an example. I don't know how they're going to sell any of those duds.

I don't think it looks any more awkward than a regular Wrangler, although, as Doug DeMuro points out the back door is a bit off the way it maintains the cut-out for the fender from the Wrangler. I think the rationale for keeping it the same to keep the parts the same between the models is reasonable. Jeeps are purpose-built off roading vehicles and they look it. Personally, I'm a fan. Can't wait to see these on the road.

[Fuzz]

OK, my guess is that after the first or second year, sales are going to drop off a cliff. It's a fairly niche vehicle, I just don't see it appealing to very many people.

[Table 5]

Considering this combines two separate cash cows (trucks and Jeeps), the only surprise here is that they didn't do this years ago.

It's pretty expensive, but considering the stratospheric prices that some trucks are charging these days, it's not unheard of. It's a bit of a niche vehicle, but I think it will still be a hit.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

OK, my guess is that after the first or second year, sales are going to drop off a cliff. It's a fairly niche vehicle, I just don't see it appealing to very many people.

I'm surprised you think that. Look at how many people love trucks that don't even need a truck. Jeep guys are the same. How many people drive a Jeep but never go offroad? The market for this is monstrous. I don't think sales are going to wane, either. This will be a grand slam.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

They are going to sell a gazillion of these things...

I think so too but I’m not sure if it’ll get them new customers as much as it eats into Ram and Wrangler sales.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'm surprised you think that. Look at how many people love trucks that don't even need a truck. Jeep guys are the same. How many people drive a Jeep but never go offroad? The market for this is monstrous. I don't think sales are going to wane, either. This will be a grand slam.

Ya, I know, and people are irrational. I'm often wrong in predicting what I think should be logical human behaviour.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

I think so too but I’m not sure if it’ll get them new customers as much as it eats into Ram and Wrangler sales.

I don't think it will eat into Ram sales much. Jeeps honestly drive like crap, whereas the Ram is a super comfy luxury truck with a different clientele. Could eat into Wrangler sales for sure, but it'll also create demand from people that weren't going to buy either and will also pull people away from Ranger, Nissan, Colorado and even Tacoma.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Ya, I know, and people are irrational. I'm often wrong in predicting what I think should be logical human behaviour.

Hah, me too. I laughed at crossovers when they came out as the worst aspects of all the vehicles rolled into one inefficient, ugly, expensive package and now every second vehicle is a crossover. At least I was right that they were/are inefficient, ugly and expensive.

[shogged]

Jeep knows their market well and I’m sure this will appeal to their loyalists. I can’t see this pulling people away from other trucks en masse though, it’s uglier than #### IMO

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by shogged

Jeep knows their market well and I’m sure this will appeal to their loyalists. I can’t see this pulling people away from other trucks en masse though, it’s uglier than #### IMO

Do you think Wranglers are ugly? I mean, it's a Wrangler with a pick-up truck box so pretty much exactly what would be expected when converting a Wrangler into a truck. The design has served them well for 80 years or so. It's not like is a controversial style for them.

[jayswin]

I think these will sell well. If I could predict the evolution, I'll assume this slightly awkward first edition will be bought up by people loving the fun idea and look, and then they will slowly modify it year after year until it's a really nice looking vehicle on the backs of people willing to buy the silly looking but fun first edition and they'll have a winner.

[shogged]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Do you think Wranglers are ugly? I mean, it's a Wrangler with a pick-up truck box so pretty much exactly what would be expected when converting a Wrangler into a truck. The design has served them well for 80 years or so. It's not like is a controversial style for them.

I think wranglers have that classic Jeep look which I like. I think this looks like a Frankenstein of a Jeep and a truck, kinda like the Subaru Baja back in the day which I also disliked for similar reasons lol.

I wonder if maybe they played it too safe going for that Jeep style and would have been better served mixing it up just a bit more.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by shogged

I think wranglers have that classic Jeep look which I like. I think this looks like a Frankenstein of a Jeep and a truck, kinda like the Subaru Baja back in the day which I also disliked for similar reasons lol.

I wonder if maybe they played it too safe going for that Jeep style and would have been better served mixing it up just a bit more.

Subaru Baja, hahaha. That's hilarious. You may have just ruined this for me.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

OK, my guess is that after the first or second year, sales are going to drop off a cliff. It's a fairly niche vehicle, I just don't see it appealing to very many people.

I always wonder about why anyone would choose a Wrangler Unlimited 4-door for on road use when there are so many good SUV's at that size. Yet a crapton of people do.

I give jeep credit - their styling is distinctive. Too many cars and SUV's all look the same (Pilot, Highlander, Ascent, Santa Fe, Equinox I'm looking at you). When someone busts out of the box I like to see them get rewarded.

[Muffins]

That thing is ridiculous...........I want one.

[undercoverbrother]

Some pretty cool ideas with that vehicle.

Trouble is, and it looked like this when buddy was sitting in the back, is there isn't much room in the back of a jeep either leg room or head room. Also, I hate getting in and out of the rear of a jeep.


The soft top set up looks cool, super easy to remove the rear window, but i wonder how well that will hold up over time. I have seem plenty of these types of designs with military vehicles and as they age and the material dries out the fit gets worse and worse (I assume the care and pride of ownership will be greater with this vehicle than a military vehicle).