American sibling brands Ram and Jeep are off to a slow start in 2024, both experiencing sales drops in Australia at a time where the new car market continues to grow.
In the first three months of 2024, Ram and Jeep recorded the second- and third-largest sales slides in Australia compared to 2023, behind only niche sports car brand McLaren.
Against a backdrop of a 16 per cent increase in sales for American pickups, Ram reported 1040 vehicles sold in the first quarter of 2024 – a 36.5 per cent drop compared to the 1637 deliveries it made between January and March 2023.
Though its heavy-duty Ram 2500 and 3500 have experienced an increase in popularity – with 154 sales combined against 139 to the same point last year – the volume-selling Ram 1500 has slipped from 1498 sales to just 886 examples.
While it remains the best-selling pickup in Australia, its lead ahead of the Ford F-150 is just 270 units, despite the Blue Oval’s most successful model globally experiencing a somewhat rocky rollout marred by a handful of recalls.
It’s likely the arrival of the Ford F-150 and recent updates to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 have contributed to Ram 1500 sales going backwards. The upcoming Toyota Tundra’s arrival as a fourth option in the full-size pickup market could also be seen as a factor.
However, Ram has held onto its 17-month streak of finishing ahead of Jeep in the Australian new-car sales charts, which began in November 2022.
Jeep’s 235 sales in March 2024 contributed to its first-quarter total of 730 deliveries, a hefty drop from its 1218 sales across the same period last year.
All Jeep models are down, notably the Compass small SUV – no longer the brand’s best seller, with 205 sales in the quarter – as well as the Grand Cherokee (199 sales) and Gladiator (107 sales).
The Jeep Wrangler is now its most popular model, with 219 sales to start the year. However, it’s experienced a 5.2 per cent fall comparing the first quarter of 2024 and 2023.
At this rate, Jeep is on track to post its lowest annual sales in more than a decade and a half. In 2023, it sold 4634 vehicles, the most recent low since the Global Financial Crisis-affected 2009 in which 4193 cars were sold.
It’s worth noting Jeep has imposed significant price increases on most of its models in the recent past. For instance, the base Jeep Wrangler S is now $22,500 more expensive than it was in 2018 when the current generation arrived in Australia.
Despite being owned by the same parent company – Stellantis – overseas, the Australian distribution of Ram and Jeep is split.
Jeep’s vehicles roll off the production line in right-hand drive and are sold here by Stellantis Australia.
Meanwhile, Ram’s vehicles are imported by the Ateco Group and converted to right-hand drive by American Special Vehicles, the firm’s joint venture with Walkinshaw Automotive.
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