The Case For A New Jeep Truck

"Justin Hughes" (justinhughes54) 01/08/2016 at 13:39 • Filed to: jeep

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Jeep is killing it these days. This past December saw a whopping !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in sales across the brand over the previous year. Jeep is by far Fiat Chrysler’s most profitable division, which is particularly noteworthy since they only make SUVs. Despite my recent !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! has already shown me that what makes a good Jeep also makes a good pickup truck. To expand sales even further, I think a return of the Jeep truck would be a great addition to their fleet.

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Chrysler’s acquisition of American Motors in 1987 spelled the end of Jeep trucks. Chrysler already had their own lineup of Dodge trucks, and unlike GM they didn’t want two truck divisions competing with each other. They allowed the recently introduced Comanche to live until the end of its production cycle, then pulled the plug to favor Dodge Dakota sales. There hasn’t been a Jeep truck since.

Since then the compact pickup truck has disappeared in the US. Ford Ranger, Chevy S-10, Dodge Dakota – all gone, as well as their Japanese competition. Even mid-size trucks have all but disappeared, with prices increasing to where, for a few dollars more, you can buy a full size truck. This is America, where bigger is better, right? Not really. It can be a pain to maneuver and park even a smaller full size pickup in urban areas. Traditionally the larger trucks got worse gas mileage, though modern turbo and diesel motors are overcoming this disadvantage. Full size trucks from the three American brands all start in the $26,000 range, but those are for stripped down work trucks built to a price point. You can buy two !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! trucks for the starting price of one fully loaded !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

A new Jeep truck would give Fiat Chrysler a contender in this currently untapped market. It could just as easily come from Ram, but they seem to be suffering from their recent rebranding after they split off from Dodge, while the Jeep brand alone would sell a whole bunch of these trucks. The Jeep name sells the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , for crying out loud, which is just a rebodied, rebadged Dodge Caliber.

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This past September, Automotive News reported that !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to offset the loss of the KL Cherokee from Jeep’s Toledo, OH plant. However, AN “learned independently” about the pickup, and Fiat Chrysler made no comment on whether this is true or not. They cite no source for this report, despite it being the focal point of the article that many other automotive news outlets picked up on. It sounds more like wishful thinking to me.

But it would make a lot of sense. Back in 2005, Jeep teased at a Wrangler based pickup concept with the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . More recently, in 2012, they teased the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Both times people drooled over the concepts and begged them to build it, but it never happened. The interest is clearly there, but I think Jeep/FCA has been holding back on bringing back a small truck until they were sure it would be profitable, and not just a bunch of fleet sales to courier companies. They love small trucks. I drove Ford Rangers and Mazda B2300 twins for a courier company for a couple of years.

Speaking of Ford, they’re considering moving Ranger production back to the US. The Ranger never died – they just didn’t sell it here, believing there isn’t enough of a market for it and preferring to boost sales of their full size trucks instead. But now GM offers a smaller truck, so it’s possible that Ford may bring back the Ranger to compete with it. And again, despite !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that the Ranger is definitely returning, it’s actually !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . But if Ford does move production here, and considering that it currently has no answer to the Colorado/Canyon, it would make sense to actually sell it here.

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So what about Dodge Ram? Do they bring back the Dakota as an also-ran? Ford’s main argument against selling a smaller truck is that it would take a bite out of F-series sales. They have a good point there, and a new Dakota would do the same to full size Ram sales, which already aren’t tremendous. But FCA has a trick up its sleeve – Jeep. Leave the Ram line alone, introduce a small truck as a Jeep instead, and there is no competition between the brands. They sell different products. Plus there are many people who would buy a Jeep truck over Ram/Ford/GM simply because it’s a Jeep, or who would buy a Jeep truck instead of a Wrangler because it’s a cool alternative.

In their article, Automotive News points out that the Wrangler and Cherokee production lines are almost completely different, since the Cherokee is unibody while the Wrangler is a good old fashioned body-on-frame design. In addition, Jeep can’t afford any down time in Wrangler production to retool the line for the new 2018 model. It would make sense to retool the current Cherokee line for the new Wrangler while continuing JK Wrangler production on the current line until they’re ready to switch. But then what do they do with the JK production line? Retooling it to produce a new Wrangler based pickup wouldn’t be a stretch at all. In fact it would be far more efficient to build it at the same plant as as the Wrangler since they would share many parts. This wouldn’t be the first time this happened in Toledo – the XJ Cherokee and MJ Comanche were both built there.

As much as I’d like to see a new Comanche, I don’t think that would happen. Though both the old XJ and new KL Cherokee are unibody designs, the KL is front wheel drive based, its platform shared with the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200. Even the four wheel drive systems favor front wheel drive, disconnecting the rear wheels entirely when sending power to them is not required. The KL Cherokee has become a crossover, and is too much like a modern car for a true usable pickup truck to be based on it.

Despite the hype of the more recent J12 concept, I think it would be cheaper and easier if the new truck was identical to the Wrangler from the B-pillar forward, just like the Comanche was the front half of a Cherokee with a pickup bed. Call it the Scrambler, like the CJ8 model. If based on the Wrangler Unlimited, it would have a good sized, usable pickup bed like the Gladiator concept. Unlike the original CJ8, it would be more like the Comanche in that it would be an actual pickup truck that’s usable in the real world. Though it would be cool if FCA decided to emphasize this fact by naming it the Comanche.

The only downside is the price. The current Wrangler starts at $23,895, and the Wrangler Unlimited at $27,695. That’s right around the same as a full size Ram, Ford, or Chevy/GMC truck, which is what killed small trucks in the US in the first place. Is the Jeep brand enough to sell a smaller truck for the same price? It is for some. But will that, plus the simple desire for a small truck, be enough to make a Jeep truck profitable? Or is the Chevy Colorado, starting at a mere $20,995 for an extended cab, a better option? Probably, unless Jeep can bring down the price of their truck close to or below Wrangler territory. How low they go depends on how much Jeep wants to sell a good small truck, or how much they want to sell the Jeep brand.

(Photo credits: Kevin’s Pocket, Justin Hughes, Autoblog, Toledo Blade, Toronto Star)

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FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 13:47

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Sometimes I just want to shake FCA for not building a goddamn Jeep truck.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 13:52

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The case for a new Jeep truck:

1) Because

Justin Hughes > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/08/2016 at 13:53

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Pretty much, yeah.

PilotMan > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 13:53

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You’re correct Justin, it will come back to price.

I think the real opportunity is for Jeep to provide a stripper pickup, steel wheels, manual six speed with the Pentastar at a cheap price. The Wrangler starts at $23K and a pickup at the same price would be perfect.

People would have both a cheap platform to modify with the base sport, or Chrysler could make a huge profit on a $34K Rubicon pickup.

Justin Hughes > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 13:56

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That’s pretty much what I’m thinking.

Birddog > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 14:02

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I really don’t see why Jeep can’t do this again. Stop teasing us dammit!!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 14:04

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And as long as the suspension design was kept the same ot would have a huge aftermarket right out of the gate.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 14:05

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Except when they make it, a manual won’t be an option and you’ll have to option it up to get the better engine

Party-vi > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 14:23

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I think the JK would make a shitty pickup truck. The Wrangler doesn’t do truck things very well.

PilotMan > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 01/08/2016 at 14:25

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Actually no, the base stripper Wrangler comes with a 6-speed and the full size Pentastar already. Not like the GM twins that don’t allow the pairing of a V6/manual.

PilotMan > Party-vi 01/08/2016 at 14:39

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A compact pickup isn’t towing 5,000 Ib trailers or boats, it carries dirt bikes, basic garden stuff, or camping gear for overland trips. It’s essentially a Wrangler that can carry more gear, much like the original Scrambler.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 14:45

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I hope they keep it like that. Seems automakers like to force you to get a bunch of stuff you don’t want for the one thing you do.

WiscoProud > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 14:54

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A compact pickup better be able to tow 5,000 pounds, otherwise it will never be considered serious. My Land Cruiser is rated to tow 6,500 for comparison sake

PilotMan > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s 01/08/2016 at 14:55

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Thats one thing that Ram/Jeep do well. You can get a $20K Ram pickup with 2wd, a regular cab, open rear diff, vinyl floor/seats, manual windows, and a 395HP Hemi.

PilotMan > WiscoProud 01/08/2016 at 15:05

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Your Land Cruiser would be a total pig if it had to tow 6,500 Ibs anywhere. The rear bumper would almost be on the ground and you wouldn’t have enough torque to go up any mountain passes above 40MPH.

The Jeep pickup would also be rated to do so but its’ short wheel base and V6 wouldn’t make it all that comfortable or efficient.

1500 Pickups nowadays are rated to tow ridiculously heavy loads but in reality they aren’t used that way. If you have a 10,000 Ib 5th wheel you’re going to buy a diesel 2500 or 3500 to tow it, just for the sake of safety and capability.

Plus, Jeep people aren’t going to want the heavy suspension that can tow as much as a 1500. They want articulation and available customization for off road use. For towing capability plus off road use there’s the Power Wagon:

WiscoProud > PilotMan 01/08/2016 at 15:26

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I’ve towed over 5,000 with it when moving, it was slower, but a V8 goes a long ways to help. You’re right that most people who have to tow larger loads would go for something bigger. Also that towing larger amounts would require a reworking of the suspension, as its geared for articulation rather than work. However, as the purpose of a pickup is to haul things, the normal payload and towing capacity of a JK won’t cut it. I don’t need a lot, but being able to tow 5,000 with a 1,000 payload isn’t asking a lot. If you don’t care about payload and want pure articulation, stick with the JK, it'll be a better vehicle for you.

Slant6 > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 15:30

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I’m sure costs could be kept down without a front axle. Rwd truck could easily be priced below a wrangler.

nermal > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 15:41

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The keys to success for a Jeep truck will be:

- Jeepy

- Trucky

- Available in a crew cab

- Not too expensive

I think a 5 1/2 ft bed would be fine here. That would make it longer than a regular Wrangler, so the frame will need to be stretched. Otherwise as long as they can keep pricing in line with the other mid-size trucks, if they make it, it will sell.

Grindintosecond > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 15:42

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How they gonna compete against themselves? Rebadge a RAM 1500 or Dakota?

Justin Hughes > Slant6 01/08/2016 at 15:51

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That’s exactly why the Comanche became the first Jeep ever offered without four wheel drive.

Justin Hughes > Grindintosecond 01/08/2016 at 15:53

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It could happen. Take a RAM 1500 and throw a Jeep face on it, for instance.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 16:20

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I don’t want a new one, I want this one.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 16:20

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Because this is awesome:

Justin Hughes > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) 01/08/2016 at 16:42

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That is a new one - the J12 concept.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 17:45

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Shows how much attention I’ve been paying. Then yes, give me the new one (assuming it’s this exactly).

Slant6 > Justin Hughes 01/08/2016 at 17:52

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Nah, there were a few others before that. I know the DJ postal Jeep was rwd.

And I’m positive the XJ came as a 2wd. I’ve never owned a Jeep but it’s on my list for someday. Can’t justify the fuel economy without a useful bed. Love your MJ.

greasemonkey235097 > Justin Hughes 01/09/2016 at 01:30

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You keep saying “small” small would have been a TJ based pickup, the JKs are huge, a JK based pickup would be midsize at the very least. As painful as it is, small pickups are dead and not ever to return.