2019 Jeep Gladiator

You guys at all thinking about his as a badass offroading vehicle, or at least hats what you were hoping for.
But that's not the segment it fills.
CasterTroy said:
Prediction: More Gladiators will be sold to aftermarket bolt-on accessory companies than individuals the first 6 months. Then sales will plummet
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I disagree. Unless it is ridiculously expensive - which is entirely possible - this is basically the small truck that people have been saying they wanted back after the Ranger was cancelled. Minus the 2-door option, but frankly 95% of Americas are now too spoiled to even consider a truck with only two doors.

This is basically the 4 door Toyota Hilux truck that is everywhere else in the world and is super popular, and people have been saying they want here for 2 decades. It is for the guy that wants the bed of a truck, feel of a truck, ability to do reasonable towing, and still fit his family in it OK, AND get the benefit of the cache' of being a Jeep and not a terrible offroad vehicle if needed.
To meet that segment it doesn't need a V8 (geez the V6 makes a pretty good amount of power as it is), it doesn't need a great breakover angle or departure angle, it doesn't need tons or anything fancy like that. We all know all those things can and will be "fixed" by the enthusiasts who will swap parts, who are 1% or less of Jeep's initial customers.
 
RatLabGuy said:
You guys at all thinking about his as a badass offroading vehicle, or at least hats what you were hoping for.
But that's not the segment it fills.

I disagree. Unless it is ridiculously expensive - which is entirely possible - this is basically the small truck that people have been saying they wanted back after the Ranger was cancelled. Minus the 2-door option, but frankly 95% of Americas are now too spoiled to even consider a truck with only two doors.

This is basically the 4 door Toyota Hilux truck that is everywhere else in the world and is super popular, and people have been saying they want here for 2 decades. It is for the guy that wants the bed of a truck, feel of a truck, ability to do reasonable towing, and still fit his family in it OK, AND get the benefit of the cache' of being a Jeep and not a terrible offroad vehicle if needed.
To meet that segment it doesn't need a V8 (geez the V6 makes a pretty good amount of power as it is), it doesn't need a great breakover angle or departure angle, it doesn't need tons or anything fancy like that. We all know all those things can and will be "fixed" by the enthusiasts who will swap parts, who are 1% or less of Jeep's initial customers.
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I completely disagree. This is no where near usable as a Ranger....And you being a Yota enthusiast, how dare you compare the bullet proof Hilux to this middle ground does nothing purely pursuit.
EDIT: yeah I'm harsh and nobody owns one yet....but I almost bet its the response true pick-up drivers will come too.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Unless it is ridiculously expensive
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That's what I mean


Toyota Hilux was pricey, but within reach. The 4 door ranger the REST of the world gets is reasonable. Hence why it's all over the world.

IMHO anything over $45k for the Rubicon edition (2019 JKU rubi is +/-$41k) just makes it a novelty

The ZR2 is a fully capable real pickup that I've actually seen on the trails at URE (actually saw 4 different ones) and it lists for $42k (ish)
 
I am not digging this at all. Looks good from the front, but I am sure it would look better with some bigger tires. I always thought the brute was much better looking
 
In that truck class, it's going to have (by far) the highest price and (by far) the lowest refinement/sophistication. Doesn't make sense. Long wheelbase, short bed, not really actually good at anything as a sum of the parts.

But, best mall crawler ever.
 
Joe J. said:
Probably more like 75k for a Rubicon with a diesel I bet.

But I have more than one problem with the JT and JL models as well besides price. First they aren't going to be offered with a V8 or tons. And I've heard the drain plug on the factory axles is now directly on the bottom of the pumpkin and after a few trail rides it wants to leak. Who the hell made that decision at Jeep? Not to mention the disconnected axle shafts. No bueno homie.

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Hardcore people like on here sure hate the JT and JL. But they are selling like hot cakes. They are hitting the market. They have no reason to sell them with V8 and tons, as the market isn't there when they can sell millions of them to people that will never go off the road. Jeep does not care about people that are really going to wheel them, and why should they, they are such the minority and wouldn't be worth the money to build.
 
Atla said:
'Find a niche, then Exploit!'
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So what are your thoughts on what effect this truck has on the companies that have made their niche in converting jeeps to trucks (Brute for example)?

Are existing aftermarket conversions going to drop in price because the people that were buying them can now get one direct from Jeep?

I think I'd rather have a hemi swapped JK with a Gr8tops recruit type top over the JT right now, and it would be cheaper...
 
AEV? Bah.

They dropped their entire TJ accessory line while everyone else is still making a killing off it. As for the Brute kits, they dropped it before we were even guaranteed a Jeep Truck. Which to me, means there isn't much of a market for $8,000 kits that require, I dunno, another $4,000 in assembly labor.

That's 12k. That's an auto loan for most folks. An auto loan on a giant accessory kit.

The market is definitely there, but their price point was way to high. That's why the RubiTrux's are selling like crazy still. It's a cheaper truck kit than the Brute. Slap the RubiTrux kit on a LJ and you got a basic scrambler. If you want the Brute concept to work, you're going to have to make it more affordable.

So summing this all up, it's easier to get a loan for a 40-50k vehicle than it is to scrounge together 12k to convert your TJ. :) The Gladiator will certainly hit the Jeep Truck Conversion niche hard.
 
I'm sorry I don't have enough to do at work.....


Had to edit.....somebody wanted me to keep my job.
 
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DSM Turbos said:
Hardcore people like on here sure hate the JT and JL. But they are selling like hot cakes. They are hitting the market. They have no reason to sell them with V8 and tons, as the market isn't there when they can sell millions of them to people that will never go off the road. Jeep does not care about people that are really going to wheel them, and why should they, they are such the minority and wouldn't be worth the money to build.
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I was just kind of joking about the V8 and tons cause I know it'll never happen. But I know what you mean. My sister bought a JL sport a couple of months ago and she says it'll never go offroad so long as she's making payments on it. And I get that because it's the nicest and most expensive vehicle she's ever had. Pic is her Jeep. And yes, it's at the mall lol.

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I don't look at this as a wheeler. I don't think I'd consider taking it on serious trails. I see it as a truck that can tow my shit every few months, take the fam to the beach, do normal mid size truck shit but also pull the doors and top occasionally, and with diesel mpg and performance. I imagine they will restrict the diesel to overland and rubicon or whatever higher trim levels so that it's extra expensive, but as long as it's not more than 45k, I think it's competitive with most high trim mid size pickups. Price a colorado with the diesel or TRD pro taco. Not cheap.
 
I'm not going to lie, I would love a JL or a JT or whatever the hell its called for my next car.

I don't have the time to wheel anymore and sold my stuff. But I still ride dirt bikes, mountain bikes, hike, etc a lot. A Jeep for that would be perfect for me. But I am a cheap ass and hoping the JK prices drop now, which they already are.
 
Atla said:
So summing this all up, it's easier to get a loan for a 40-50k vehicle than it is to scrounge together 12k to convert your TJ. :) The Gladiator will certainly hit the Jeep Truck Conversion niche hard.
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This.

I'm in the process of putting tons under my TJ now and I've been toying with the idea to just chop and extend the frame and make my own truck.

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CasterTroy said:
IMHO anything over $45k for the Rubicon edition (2019 JKU rubi is +/-$41k) just makes it a novelty

The ZR2 is a fully capable real pickup that I've actually seen on the trails at URE (actually saw 4 different ones) and it lists for $42k (ish)
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Why would a guy looking for a Ranger equivalent need a Rubicon?

I dont doubt it will be too expensive for really matching that market though.
 
paulevans76 said:
I don't look at this as a wheeler. I don't think I'd consider taking it on serious trails. I see it as a truck that can tow my shit every few months, take the fam to the beach, do normal mid size truck shit but also pull the doors and top occasionally, and with diesel mpg and performance. I imagine they will restrict the diesel to overland and rubicon or whatever higher trim levels so that it's extra expensive, but as long as it's not more than 45k, I think it's competitive with most high trim mid size pickups. Price a colorado with the diesel or TRD pro taco. Not cheap.
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Bingo.

It all cones down to how they price it.
 
RatLabGuy said:
Why would a guy looking for a Ranger equivalent need a Rubicon?
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They wouldn't

Just as someone who needs a rubicon wouldn't need this TRUCK

What they've given us is a solution to problem no one really had.
 
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