Iconic American car brand sees sudden sales slump after drivers complained of soaring prices and vehicles stuffed with too much tech

Jeep sales have plummeted as drivers complain about sky-high prices and the overload of technology in the vehicles.

Two of the iconic models, the Wrangler and the Gladiator, are struggling to win over consumers.

Sales of the Wrangler fell 35 percent, from nearly a quarter of a million to 155,491, the Toledo Blade reported.

The Gladiator, on the other hand, suffered a bigger defeat, with sales falling 38 percent from 89,712 in 2021 to 55,187 last year.

It’s a trend that will continue to plague the off-road giant in the first half of 2024.

The latest sales data shows that Jeep posted its lowest sales figures in June in the past six years, with just 13,134 Wranglers sold and 3,542 Gladiators.

Sales forecasts are so bleak that some experts believe there may not even be a Gladiator model until 2026.

According to Caredge, Jeep prices have increased by 61 percent since 2018.

A 2024 Wrangler now starts at $31,995, up $400 from last year. However, a top-of-the-line model can cost as much as $101,890.

The Gladiator, which is considered the pickup sister model of the Wrangler, starts at $37,895, while the top-of-the-line version starts at $64,890.

The vehicles come with a range of high-tech features, including remote car start, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, a 4G hotspot that supports eight devices, a rear-view camera and much more.

However, the upgrades have turned off many of the brand’s loyal fans, who say they come at the expense of affordability.

“They took something simple that worked and made it way too fancy,” Jason Davis, administrator of the Jeep Fans Facebook page, told the Toledo Blade.

‘They raised the price so much that they lost touch with their loyal customer base and it became difficult for people to afford it.

“Nobody wants to pay $50,000 to $98,000 for something that they’re going to take on the road. You can’t price the majority of your customer base out of the market because they can’t afford your vehicles and then be upset about a big drop in sales.”

Jeep enthusiast Sherry Trees is currently looking for her second Jeep for off-road use, but she’s only looking for vehicles with less technology.

“Comments on the Jeep sites I’m on say the new ones with computer systems always have problems. Give me old school, where you don’t need a computer degree to fix it,” she said.

It’s a problem that the National Highways and Transportation Authority has taken up.

Earlier this month, approximately 32,863 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators were recalled due to defective instrument panels.

In November 2022, NHTSA announced a recall of nearly 63,000 model year 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles equipped with a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle engine.

NHTSA documents at the time warned that these cars could experience engine failure, leading to a sudden loss of power while driving.

Earlier this year, the government’s auto safety agency announced it was investigating more than 94,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles after receiving complaints about vehicles that fell outside the scope of the previous recall.

Last year, manufacturer Stellantis announced a recall of more than 32,000 hybrid SUVs due to a potential fire hazard.

Jeep’s current models are direct descendants of their Willys MB 4x4s, which were used on the battlefield by US and other Allied soldiers during World War II.

This history has long established the brand’s status as an iconic American brand. A few years ago, the brand capitalized on this with its Super Bowl commercial, starring “Born in the USA” singer Bruce Springsteen.

Today, however, the company is owned by the Dutch company Stellantis, which also owns several other iconic American brands, including Dodge, Chrysler and Ram.

The manufacturer is facing problems across its portfolio as new strikes by the United Auto Workers union loom.

Union leader Shawn Fain claims Stellantis has failed to honor terms negotiated during a wave of devastating strikes last year.

Jeep also faces competition from rival Ford models Bronco and Maverick, off-road vehicles that are significantly less expensive.

The situation has shocked Stellantis’ top brass, according to a letter from Kevin Farrish, chairman of the National Dealer Council, to CEO Carlos Tavares.

“The reckless, short-term decisions made to secure record profits in 2023 have had devastating, but entirely predictable, consequences for the US market,” Mr. Farrish wrote.

“Those consequences include the rapid decline of our iconic American brands — brands like Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Chrysler that have been around in America for more than a century.”

But there is still hope for Jeep, especially since the Federal Reserve recently cut key interest rates, which is expected to boost sales.

But beyond that, industry leaders believe the brand’s legendary status in American history and culture will be enough to revive the brand.

“The brand has a lot of equity. It’s not going to just go away,” said Van Drury, director of insights for Edmunds Inc.

“They have American symbolism behind them. It’s iconic and represents something bigger than the brand itself. Jeep will turn around at some point.”