2020 Jeep Gladiator Dealer Markup as High as $20,000 in Some States
Do you fancy spending $75k on Jeep's new pickup? How about $80k?
When news broke that 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks were selling for $56k on average, we were left with more questions than answers—how can a vehicle that tops out around $60k manage that? Are lower trim models collecting dust in the corner while loaded Gladiator Rubicons fly off showroom floors? Although both of those could contribute to the end result, another layer to the story has surfaced and, for buyers, it's not pretty.
Some Jeep dealers are marking up Gladiators to the tune of $80k, skewing not only average transaction prices but also their at-risk reputations.
Car and Driver first mentioned it in a report Thursday morning, pointing out that even lower trim Gladiators are being listed for upwards of 70 grand. A quick AutoTrader search confirms this and unearths some of the industry's worst offenders.
One example is this Jeep Gladiator Overland available at a Salt Lake Valley dealer in Utah for $74,482. Now, the MSRP can be found on the same web page just a short scroll away from the asking price—and simple math reveals a massive $21,787 markup.
As the cliche goes, but wait—there's more!
Another extremely optimistic dealer in Bend, Oregon has a top-spec Gladiator Rubicon available for the sum of $81,670. Better yet, the AutoTrader listing uses a Jeep manufacturer photo instead of a picture showing the actual vehicle for sale. Not to worry though because, as the dealer's own website reveals, it's definitely legitimate. Despite Smolich Motors not including the MSRP of the vehicle in any of its for-sale ads, a search on Jeep's website shows a $61,770 figure, equaling a $19,900 dealer adjustment.
Sadly, the astronomical average transaction price suggests that people are actually buying Gladiators listed far above MSRP. That, combined with early deliveries of high-trim models to drive up profits, means that the trend of Americans paying way more for pickups than they did just a decade ago is only continuing.
The Drive has reached out to Jeep for comment on the situation and will update with the company's response.
In the meantime, how much is too much to pay for a truck which is arguably the most hyped vehicle of the past decade?