The Jeep Gladiator has received stellar reviews. Experts predict the new midsize pickup truck will outperform both the formidable Tacoma and the Wrangler on the resale market. That’s great news if you’re leasing.
We’ve seen incredible Gladiator lease deals pop up on Jeep’s website (and off it). Now, a CarsDirect analysis shows the Gladiator is expected to have 18 percent greater residual value than the Wrangler after 36 months. Which means rthat, despite the higher sticker price, the Gladiator is cheaper to lease than the Wrangler.
CarsDirect looked at automatic transmission-equipped base models of the two. The Gladiator Sport’s MSRP of $37,040 is more than the base Wrangler Unlimited’s $36,235, yet the effective lease for the Gladiator ($363 per month) is seven percent lower than that for the Wrangler Unlimited ($391 per month).
The effect is particularly significant when comparing the Gladiator — admittedly, slightly unfairly — to the two-door Wrangler with a lower residual value. The Gladiator is $5,500 more expensive than the base Wrangler Sport ($31,540). But, that base two-door Wrangler’s $438 monthly lease is $75 per month higher. Moral of the story: Do not lease a two-door Wrangler.
One slight caveat is that Jeep’s response to the Gladiator’s popularity has often been to option ones found on dealerships out to the max to ramp up prices. Bare-bones base models will be hard to find. (My closest dealer, for example, does not have a single Gladiator priced under $45,000.)
The best way to catch up on the day’s most important product releases and stories. Read the Story
