You'll Be Shocked How Much Jeep Gladiator Owners Spend On Accessories

Jeep knew well in advance its new Wrangler-based Gladiator pickup truck was going to be a smash hit. It's proven to be just that and even more. We previously reported that Gladiator buyers were spending an average of $56,403 per vehicle, which is startling considering the Gladiator has an MSRP of $33,545. Clearly these buyers love to tack on the option packages and Jeep is more than happy to oblige. And, as it turns out, so is Mopar.

Automotive News has learned that Gladiator customers are also spending big on accessories. Mopar claims Gladiator buyers spend an average of $1,000 per vehicle on accessories alone, surpassing the $800 spent by Wrangler buyers. Which specific accessories are Gladiator most interested in? Mopar's head of performance and accessories, Kim Mathers, claims they want off-road tools like lift kits and protective rock rails.

And fortunately, Jeep figured this onslaught of accessory purchases was going to happen in advance. It made sure its dealerships were ready to handle the orders even before the Gladiators hit the showrooms. In fact, over 90 percent of the Mopar accessories were available since the day the Gladiator went on sale. This excellent planning has paid off big time, as evidenced by what these Gladiators are spending.

"The planning for the Gladiator launch has been a long time in the works," Mathers told Automotive News. "Before the vehicles even start to hit dealers, we ship them our key marquee parts." In the second business quarter of this year alone, total Gladiator sales hit 7,200 units in the US. According to the Automotive News Data Center, the Gladiator accounted for about 7.7 percent of the midsize pickup truck market in its first full month on dealership lots.