Jeep rules out second pick-up, doubles down on Gladiator

US off-road specialist Jeep says it has no plans to add a second pick-up to its range despite the success of the Gladiator.

Jeep says it has no plans to expand its pick-up range beyond the current Gladiator model, despite the rising popularity of double-cab and car-derived utes globally.

When asked if there was room for a car-derived Jeep pick-up to rival US-only models such as the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, the global boss of Jeep, Christian Meunier, told Australian media attending the Detroit motor show:

“That wouldn’t be a Jeep. Gladiator is not … a conventional pick-up truck, it’s not a workhorse, and it’s certainly not a car-based (ute) because it’s very capable. We want to be in every segment the most capable.”

When asked if the upcoming Jeep Recon electric SUV could form the basis of a car-derived ute, the Jeep executive said:

“Everything’s open, but we’re not a pick-up truck brand. Gladiator is a lifestyle pick-up.

“A pick-up body-on-frame (vehicle) is what a Jeep pick-up would be. I don’t see the benefits of doing a pick-up on a Recon (platform) when we have a Gladiator that is doing very well, which is a real deal.”

Meantime, although Jeep has previously and repeatedly ruled out a diesel version of right-hand-drive Gladiator models, it now seems plug-in hybrid technology may also not be applied to the vehicle.

Australia and New Zealand are the only two right-hand-drive countries where the Jeep Gladiator is sold, making it prohibitively expensive to develop diesel or plug-in versions for such low volume markets.

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