Why Is the Jeep Gladiator 4xe Plug-in Hybrid Missing in Action?
Whether due to cost, its cramped cabin or the fact that Jeep doesn't really market it as an alternative to the volume-oriented midsize pickups of the world (Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, Toyota Tacoma), it seems like just about everybody considers the Gladiator pickup a bit of an afterthought—even Jeep.
In that light, it seems appropriate that Jeep buried its most significant piece of Gladiator news—a forthcoming Hemi-powered Gladiator '392' model—in the middle of an unrelated media preview after its announcement that the Wrangler 392 would return for (at least) one more model year. Still, that blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment is more attention than Jeep has publicly paid to Gladiator in quite a while.
While we have no official timeline yet for the 392, another Gladiator model's clock has been ticking down. Last year, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa announced that we'd see a Gladiator 4xe in 2025. No need to take our word for it on that one; the Linkedin post is still live. So, in the midst of all this gasoline-fueled hype, where is the Gladiator 4xe? So far, missing in action.
After the dust settled last week, we reached out to Jeep to ask what the deal was. The answer we received was concise, but not particularly helpful:
'Nothing to share on Gladiator 4xe at this moment.'
That's certainly open to interpretation, but we're two-thirds of the way through 2025 with no updates. Forgive us for reading between the lines, but things aren't looking too good on this front at the moment. Like the 392, the 4xe would be an opportunity for Jeep to reach a new group of buyers for its midsize pickup.
Even if you're a fan of the Comanche or Scrambler (I meant this one, not that one, but also, sure, that one), the four-door, short-bed Wrangler-with-a-bed may not quite be your cup of tea. Evidently, you're not alone, as Jeep sells only one Gladiator for every three Wranglers. This makes it about as popular as the Wagoneer.
In its defense, the Gladiator holds its own just fine against the only other upmarket offering in the segment: the GMC Canyon. In fact, Jeep is beating GMC in sales so far in 2025—without the benefit of a V8 or a plug-in hybrid.
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