At the beginning of 2023, reports about Stellantis’ record $18 billion in profits for 2022 cited Jeep and Ram as primary drivers despite lower sales at both brands. There are other factors involved, of course, such as cost-cutting, one of CEO Carlos Tavares’ many specialties. But Ram sold more than 545,000 units in the U.S. alone last year, Stellantis saying the average transaction price of a Ram 1500 was $57,000, the heavy duty range trading for an average of $71,000. Throw in more than 180,000 Jeep Wranglers sold in the U.S. in 2022, and we envision a lot of money-counting machines working 24-hour shifts.
But also consider this: Tavares, just like the late, great Sergio Marchionne, loves to hammer the point about how expensive the transition to electric vehicles is right now and how elevated costs will continue for a while.
And then let’s wonder, after looking at the latest prices for the 2024 Jeep Wrangler, if Tavares is yanking rather hard on one of his cash cows in order to fill the trough that will pay for the EVs.
In June, we wrote about pricing for the 2024 Wrangler, up anywhere from $205 to $5,100 over 2023 pricing, and in one case, $485 less. Six trims rose by four figures. Here we are again six months later with almost the same story: A second round of price increases on the 2024 Wrangler from $200 to $4,050, every trim posting a rise, seven trims up by four figures, with no savings this time. Oh, and the destination charge is also up $100, to $1,895.
Here are the sums including destination, and their changes in parens from the last price increase six months ago:
| Trim | Two-Door | Four-Door | 4xe |
| Sport | $33,890 ($200) | $38,390 ($700) | |
| Sport S | $37,390 ($200) | $41,890 ($100) | $52,590 ($800) |
| Willys | $41,390 ($200) | $45,890 ($700) | $57,330 ($800) |
| Sahara | $51,090 ($1,470) | $59,590 ($950) | |
| High Altitude | $69,690 ($900) | ||
| Rubicon | $48,690 ($1,500) | $53,190 ($2,000) | $63,290 ($910) |
| Rubicon X (new) | $58,690 ($2,000) | $63,190 ($2,500) | $72,290 ($1,410) |
| Rubicon 392 | $93,440 ($4,050) |
The two-door Wrangler Sport started the 2023 model year $2,000 less expensive than it is now; when destination was but $1,595, the four-door was $2,630 less expensive. The last time we celebrated New Year’s Eve, the Rubicon was $3,900 less expensive than it is now. The Rubicon 392 cost almost $12,000 less to start 2023 than it does to start 2024. Lordy. It’s not like Jeep’s out there alone in the boonies with these prices, either. Base prices for rival #1, the Ford Bronco, start at $41,025 for a two-door Big Bend and top out at $91,930 for the four-door Raptor. The four-door Bronco Badlands starts at $52,780, the four-door Wildtrak at $62,660.
So when you read that credit bureau Experian found the average monthly payment on a new car in 2023 was $726 and the average loan length for a new car was 68.12 months — $49,455 before any potential trade-in or down payment — you’ll know why.
