NEW $18K Stellantis Pickup Truck Is a Bargain for What It Can Do But Price Isn't Even the Best Part!

Stellantis is preparing a new $18,000 pickup, a bargain for what it can do. But price isn't even the best part. If you're tired of paying $40,000 for a truck that runs errands, this one's for you. Most people believe a cheap truck means weak power and terrible gas mileage. This one is bringing a plug-in hybrid and real Jeep four-wheel drive, at half the usual price. Let's check it out. Exterior Design and Dimensions The name is Comanche, and the plan behind it is pretty straightforward. Ford has been enjoying the compact pickup segment almost alone for years. The Maverick proved that buyers want small, sensible trucks. Hyundai tried to follow, but the Santa Cruz is already gone from the market. So, the door is wide open, and Jeep is about to walk right through it. The first thing to know is that the Comanche is going to be smaller than the Maverick. Ford's truck stretches 199.8 inches from bumper to bumper, riding on a 121.1-inch wheelbase. Jeep's pickup is expected to land well below the 190-inch mark, with a shorter wheelbase to match. Anyone who has circled a crowded grocery store lot in a big truck knows the feeling. Every parking spot suddenly looks two sizes too small. That's where the Comanche's compact footprint will pay off. Expect tighter turns, easier parking, and less stress in city traffic. Still, smaller doesn't mean less useful. Utility is going to stay at the center of this project, with off-road ability right behind it. And in terms of styling, nobody should expect a retro copy of the boxy 1980s original. Instead, the Comanche is adopting Jeep's newest design language. Plenty of inspiration is coming from the latest Compass and Cherokee. That means the signature seven-slot grille, slim LED headlights, and an upright, confident stance. Squared-off wheel arches and chunky body cladding will add a rugged touch. A short front overhang, meanwhile, is hinting at trail-friendly angles. Out back, a wide LED light bar and Cherokee-style taillights will give the bed a modern finish. But a sharp design is worth very little if the truck drinks fuel like a full-size pickup. And that's exactly where Jeep is taking its most surprising turn. Hybrid powertrain. Compact pickup buyers share one expectation above all others, low fuel bills. The Maverick Hybrid built its reputation on numbers like 42 miles per gallon in the city. Therefore, the Comanche can't just show up with a regular gas engine. It needs a proper answer, and that answer is going to be a plug-in hybrid. Think about a typical weekday. A drive to work, a stop at the pharmacy, a quick run to the hardware store. For most people, those trips add up to a few dozen miles at best. With a plug-in setup, the Comanche will cover that routine on electricity alone. The gas engine will simply stay asleep. Plug it in overnight, and the next morning starts with a full battery again. Interestingly, Jeep isn't borrowing the punchy system from the Dodge Hornet R slash T. That one pairs a 1.3-liter turbo with an electric motor for 288 horsepower. That one is fun, but also expensive. Instead, the Comanche is getting its hardware from European cousins. The new Compass sold in Europe uses a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder plug-in setup, rated at around 195 horsepower. Its battery is good for roughly 50 miles of electric-only driving, which is plenty for daily errands. On paper, 195 horsepower may not sound like a lot, but electric motors deliver their torque instantly. Therefore, the truck is going to feel livelier off the line than the numbers suggest. Once the battery runs low, the Comanche will switch to regular hybrid mode for longer trips. There will be no range anxiety, just a gas tank waiting quietly in the background. So, the Comanche is about to sip fuel like a compact car. But a Jeep that can't leave the pavement isn't really a Jeep. And this truck has a surprise of its own. Off-road capable and work capable. Yes, the Comanche is going to ride on a unibody platform with crossover roots. Some purists may frown at that. But Jeep isn't planning to water down its reputation with this truck. The Comanche is about to earn its grill the traditional way, with genuine capability. Generous ground clearance for the class is on the way. All-terrain tires will be on the options list, too. The four-wheel drive system is most likely coming straight from the Compass. In Trailhawk form, that SUV uses Jeep Active Drive Low with a 20-to-1 crawl ratio. It also rides with 8.6 inches of ground clearance. That hardware has already proven itself on trails where most rival crossovers turn around. Picture a gravel road to a lake cabin after two days of steady rain. Deep ruts, thick mud, and loose rocks everywhere you look. That's the kind of path where front-drive trucks start spinning their wheels. A proper low-range system will make the difference between arriving on time and calling for a tow. On the work side, the Comanche is aiming for numbers close to the competition. For reference, the Maverick handles up to 1,500 pounds of payload. It tows 2,000 pounds as standard, or 4,000 pounds with the optional towing package. Jeep's pickup is targeting similar territory, despite its smaller size. That's enough for a load of mulch, a stack of lumber, or a small utility trailer. So, the Comanche is about to work hard and play rough, but that toughness raises a fair concern. Will the cabin feel as cheap as the price tag suggests? Interior Back in 2016, Jeep showed a renegade-based Comanche concept at the Easter Jeep Safari. It was a two-door, single-cab trucklet with a five-foot bed and 32-inch BFGoodrich tires. The production version is taking a somewhat different path. The latest reports point to a four-door layout, and there's a good chance both versions are going to reach showrooms. That split would make a lot of sense. A single-cab model will serve contractors, farmers, and small business owners who need a longer bed. A crew cab, on the other hand, is about to cater to families and weekend adventurers. In today's market, that kind of choice is rare. The Maverick is offered as a four-door only. Either way, function is going to win over form. This is a budget-friendly truck, so expect durable hard plastics rather than soft leather. Don't count on giant screens stretching across the entire dashboard, either. Instead, the layout will lean on clear gauges, simple physical controls, and plenty of storage cubbies. That said, affordable won't mean outdated. The Comanche is about to come with a modern infotainment screen and connected services. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on the list as well. On the safety side, expect automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Those are the features buyers want today, regardless of the price tag. So, the cabin is going to be simple, but far from bare. If that sounds like a fair deal, wait until you see what Jeep plans to charge. Release Date And Price The new Comanche is currently under development, and Jeep isn't rushing anything. The company wants to get this one right the first time. Therefore, the production model is expected to arrive in two or three years. Stellantis is also preparing a compact Ram Rampage for the U.S. market, so small trucks are clearly becoming a priority for the whole group. These days, shopping for a new truck can feel like a punch to the wallet. Even the Maverick, once the value champion, now starts above $28,000. Climb a few trims, and the sticker passes $40,000. Against that backdrop, a starting price of around $18,000 will turn plenty of heads. It would make the Comanche the most affordable pickup in America by a wide margin. That kind of money is going to attract first-time truck buyers and small businesses. It will also tempt retirees who want a simple, useful second vehicle for the driveway. Few new vehicles of any kind are offering that much utility for so little. Then there's the name itself. The original Comanche was built from 1986 to 1992, based on the legendary Cherokee XJ. It earned a loyal following thanks to its toughness and simple, honest engineering. Many of those early owners still remember it fondly, and some are still driving one. That familiar moniker is going to build momentum long before the first truck reaches dealers, and that should translate into strong initial sales right from day one. So, the price may grab the headlines, but it's only the opening act. The Comanche is about to combine a compact footprint, a frugal plug-in hybrid, and real Jeep trail skills. Add a choice of cab styles, modern safety tech, and a nameplate with genuine history behind it. No rival is offering that kind of package right now. The only question left is whether Ford is ready for what's coming. Apparently, it is, because Ford has already prepared the next year's version of the Maverick, and you can check that out in our next video. The hybrid is standard now, while the Turbo 4 can be front-wheel drive only as well, and those are just a couple of novelties the Blue Oval Company has prepared for its popular compact pickup.