The Jeep Dilemma: Inventory Surplus, Soaring Prices, and What it Means for Buyers

Key Takeaways

Jeep sales are slipping in 2024. Yes, the brand known for all-terrain traction is having a really hard time keeping up in today’s new car market. Inventory is piling up, 2023 models remain unsold, and yet, prices are soaring higher than ever. It seems that Jeep has plunged headlong into a sales crisis, leaving their brand new vehicles gathering dust on dealer lots.

At CarEdge, we’re all about empowering car buyers to take control of their deal. If you’re in the market for a new or used Jeep, you won’t want to miss this one. For the savvy Jeep fan, major savings could be on the horizon. Let’s dive in.

Jeep Inventory: Why It Matters

Inventory is the lifeblood of the car industry, and Jeep is no exception. An abundance of cars on the lot can indicate slow sales, creating an environment where buyers could potentially nab themselves an attractive deal. Simply put, it’s a buyer’s market when there’s too much inventory. That’s generally the case for any product, but it’s especially true for automakers as 2024 models pile on to dealer lots.

Jeep Inventory Is Through the Roof

Jeep deals 2024

This year, however, it appears that Jeep has been having a hard time selling their cars. 2024 model-year inventory is through the roof, and last year’s cars are still in need of an owner. It’s amazing how much 2023 inventory Jeep still needs to sell, with nearly 48,000 new 2023 models on dealer lots nationwide. Shockingly, Jeep still has 2,000 new 2022 models that remain unsold.

But let’s look deeper into the data. The Market Day Supply (MDS), the measure of how long it would take to sell all current inventory at the current sales rate, can provide critical insights into the state of sales. Right now, Jeep’s MDS dominates the list of the new cars with the most inventory. This is an alarming sign that Jeeps are spending far too much time on lots before finding a home.

Here’s a quick breakdown of every Jeep model’s inventory:

MakeModel (New 2023)Market Day SupplyNationwide Inventory
JeepRenegade21110,765
JeepCherokee1703,571
JeepGrand Wagoneer3133,744
JeepGladiator20120,965
JeepWagoneer1723,921
JeepGrand Cherokee18739,874
JeepGrand Cherokee L17520,526
JeepCompass21725,768
JeepWrangler961,496
JeepWrangler Unlimited17027,837
JeepBrand Total153143,003

It’s clear that the Renegade, Cherokee, Compass, Gladiator and Grand Wagoneer are struggling the most with high MDS and large amounts of inventory still unsold, but they’re not outliers. All Jeep models aside from the Wrangler Unlimited have over 100 day supply right now. 

In the auto industry, a market day supply of 60 to 70 days is considered ‘healthy’. Jeep’s inventory has a high fever right now, and the only remedy is to sell cars soon.

For comparison’s sake, here are the ten new car models with the highest inventory right now.

MakeModelMarket Day SupplyAverage Transaction PriceTotal For SaleTotal Sold (45 Days)
RamRam 2500 Pickup460$88,67933,9083,316
DodgeHornet432$37,5885,790603
RamRam 3500 Pickup367$81,26312,1641,492
JeepGrand Wagoneer336$104,8213,487467
ChryslerPacifica Hybrid331$56,1817,310995
JaguarF-Type292$100,91660392
BMW5-Series288$70,6581,881294
DodgeChallenger273$52,01220,5743,386
RamRam 1500 Pickup238$60,76560,60611,454
Mercedes-BenzEQS212$123,1794,8371,025

Still not convinced it’s that bad? Here are the new cars with the lowest inventory. Note that this list is the result of both high sales volumes AND low production numbers for some automakers.

MakeModelMarket Day SupplyAverage Transaction PriceTotal For SaleTotal Sold (45 Days)
ChevroletColorado19$41,4953,7968,954
ToyotaCorolla Hybrid23$26,5631,0202,034
ToyotaPrius24$34,1851,6002,974
Mercedes-BenzGLC27$57,2721,8733,103
HondaCivic27$27,15110,41817,118
HondaCR-V27$35,90225,20842,535
ToyotaSienna28$50,9635,9399,556
GMCCanyon28$49,4151,3752,184
ToyotaCorolla Cross31$31,5159,25113,253
KiaCarnival31$42,3603,8715,583

Stellantis, Where Are the Incentives?!

Despite these alarming figures, Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, remains undeterred. In fact, it appears that they are doubling down on their strategy of ‘price high, hope for the best’. The average transaction price for a Jeep is now $53,913. For the first time ever, Jeep buyers are more likely to pay luxury prices than anything remotely resembling the sub-$40,000 prices of yesteryear. 

And Stellantis is all-in on luxury pricing. The critically-acclaimed Jeep Grand Wagoneer starts with an MSRP north of $60,000, with most on the lot going for well over $75,000. A quick glance at CarEdge Car Search shows that even a humble Wrangler Unlimited is likely to cost you north of $50,000. See for yourself.

When it comes to an automaker’s #1 way to sell cars, Stellantis seems to be neglecting the Jeep brand. That would be incentives. Or in Jeep’s case, the lack thereof. 

We track manufacturer incentives monthly, and it couldn’t be more clear that Jeep’s parent company is in no hurry to move inventory. Despite dominating the Top 10 list for the most inventory, Jeep is nowhere to be seen on the list of best incentives this month. You’d think there would be a correlation there. Not so!

Dealers Make Matters Worse

To make matters worse, Jeep dealers have become notorious for making customers jump through hoops to get a fair price. We’ve recently seen $100,000+ Jeeps, and an abundance of bait and switch dealer pricing.

Here’s one of many examples that car buyers have shared on the CarEdge Community Forum. This Jeep dealer in Florida adds several thousand dollars in pointless fees to the already sky-high sticker price:

jeep fees

On top of the B.S. ‘Naples Advantage’ fee, there’s a $1,198 doc fee. That’s because Florida is one of the only states that doesn’t put a limit on doc fees, and dealers love taking advantage of that. Yup, over $1,000 to ‘file the paperwork’.

It is abundantly clear that Jeep dealer pricing is reliant on unaware, unsavvy car buyers who will pay the sticker price without hesitation. Fortunately, the car buyer in this example was a CarEdge member, and knew how to push back against B.S. dealer ripoffs.

This reliance on consumers’ lack of awareness doesn’t just reflect poorly on the dealers – it’s a black mark on Jeep itself. Jeep, it’s time to take better care of your customers!

Harness the Power of Data to Negotiate Jeeps Today

jeep inventory and prices in 2024

Unlike car buyers in decades past, you now have a powerful tool at your disposal: information. Knowledge is power in negotiation, and these high inventory numbers reveal a potentially golden opportunity. For the prepared and knowledgeable buyer, Jeeps will become increasingly negotiable in 2024. But as we’ve seen, don’t expect dealers to be giving out great deals. You’ll almost certainly have to work for it.

Our CarEdge Car Coaches understand this and are ready to help you save thousands on your next vehicle. They know that the first step in getting a good deal is understanding the market conditions. Our team of experts is ready to help you identify savings opportunities, no matter what new or used car you’re in the market for.

Looking for DIY car buying help? Our CarEdge Data plan is just for you. Using behind-the-scenes market insights and the data goldmine found in every CarEdge Report, you’ll be equipped with insider tools to save you big-time. 

In summary, be savvy, do your research, and don’t be afraid to walk away if the deal isn’t right. It’s a great time to be a Jeep buyer—if you know what you’re doing. Dealers might be playing hardball, but you can play the game too. And now, you have the data to back you up.

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Last updated Feb 1, 2024

5 Comments

  1. Lance

    If Jeep has an over-inventory problem, why are they attempting to buy back vehicles at a 10% premium?

    Two people I know have been offered 10% above the sale price to buy back their Jeeps.

    Reply
    • Tommyboy

      It’s probably because a lot of lessee’s are buying out their jeeps outright hence a shortage of used jeeps on their lots, their chasing my jeep too, and my lease isn’t up till February’25

      Reply
  2. Lauren

    Hello,

    are there any other free resources or articles you have on buying a used jeep. I have a jeep that I am interested in purchasing from hertz car sales and want to be prepared to negotiate.

    Reply
    • Justin Fischer

      Hi Lauren, Sorry for the delayed reply. The perfect 100% free resource is CarEdge Deal School, our free online course.

      Reply
  3. John Shea

    On top of all of Jeeps issues you overlooked the fact that they are run by people who have absolutely no experience with the American car market. Can you imagine trying to run a company in another country you know nothing about. Another major problem is their dealerships are decades behind everyone else in the industry. Underhand sales tactics and unprofessional sales people all add up to going out of business.

    Reply

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