Jeep Gladiator sales reportedly averaged $56,403 in first full month

By Tony Markovich , Autoblog If this past May is any indication of future sales, the Gladiator truck is going to make Fiat Chrysler Automo...

By Tony Markovich, Autoblog

If this past May is any indication of future sales, the Gladiator truck is going to make Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) some decent coin. In its first full month on sale, the new Jeep pickup went home with more than 2,500 customers at an average transaction price of more than $56,000. 

Cox Automotive, which works with automotive sales dealers and brands such as Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book, released a small report on May sales, and it included some interesting nuggets about Jeep's newest player. Brought to our attention by The Drive, the Gladiator entered May with 437 units sold, as the vehicles had just started to trickle into dealerships. In May, Jeep added 2,548 sales.

It's too early to call the Wrangler with a bed a success or failure, but a second piece of information hints at a positive outlook: According to Cox, the average transaction price was $56,403. That's massive for a midsize pickup. The Gladiator offers four grades to choose from. With destination costs included, the Sport starts at $35,040, the Sport S starts at $38,240, the Overland starts at $41,890, and the Rubicon starts at $45,040.

At face value, that would indicate customers are buying up Overlands and Rubicons with tons of options, but that's not the full story. What likely bolstered the average price is the inclusion of the Launch Edition, which was limited to 4,190 units and has already sold out. It includes "nearly every package and feature available," and lists at $62,310 with destination included. That people are willing to pay so much for a midsize truck is a good sign for FCA and Jeep, but it could also be, in part, due to the hype bubble. Only time will tell.

Other midsize pickup trucks put up much better volume sales numbers in May, including the new Ford Ranger. Cox says Ford sold 7,750 Rangers at an average transaction price of just more than $37,000. Let the midsize truck wars begin!