Staying true to one’s self isn’t always easy. From a profit standpoint, it could even be the wrong choice in the business world. Despite that, the Gladiator is truly a creation that came about not because Jeep needed a truck, but rather because fans wanted one. Sure, it wasn’t entirely selfless from Jeep’s standpoint, as it wanted to expand its lineup and, of course, make a profit in the process.
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Still, we’ve all seen what happens when some brands build a vehicle simply to milk profits out of customers without actually making that vehicle worthy of its name or badge. The Gladiator is no such vehicle. In fact, it might actually be so well-built for Jeep fans that it’s missing out on the larger mid-size truck market.
To find that out, we had to test the Gladiator in all of the places you might see one. That includes in the city and on the highway where most are found. It also included off-road trails, over mud, through streams, and so deep into the wilderness that flash floods nearly had us stuck in the middle of nowhere. After that week, it seems like the Gladiator truly is a love letter to Jeep fans everywhere.
Quick Facts
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That starts out with the very clear ties to the Wrangler in the way this Gladiator appears. From the rear doors forward it’s as if Jeep’s designers just hit a ‘carbon copy’ button somewhere. The angles, dimensions, and general makeup are unquestionably full of Jeep DNA.
The seven-slot grille sits prominently on its face with classic round headlamps. The fenders are high and boxy and the exposed hinges continue to signal to all that this vehicle is about utility as much as it is about anything else. Just like the Wrangler, customers can remove the roof and the doors and even flip the windshield down should they desire.
Is the design beautiful? Well, no. The short front end looks a bit strange compared to the lengthy bed and that might not appeal to everyone. On the other hand, the things that stand out most lend real capability to this pickup. The 32.7-inch tires (35s will fit without a lift) are just one piece of that along with recovery hooks and LED fog lights.
Interior Familiarity
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Similarly to the exterior, those familiar with the Wrangler will feel right at home in the Gladiator. The dash and door cards are basically identical. The switchgear mostly sits in the center control stack and like the Wrangler, it feels a bit cheap and underwhelming. Still, it’s made to be durable and to last the test of time which is a tradeoff most Jeep fans are happy to make.
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The seats are comfortable and well-supported with ample bolstering. That’s also true of the rear bench which offers more space than one might expect in a truck of this size. I had no problem sitting behind where I’d position the front seat for myself, which isn’t something I can say of trucks like the Toyota Tacoma.
The bed is about as average as they get. It features sliding tie-downs, power ports, and a cool little Jeep Easter egg in the front of the bed that mimics the iconic seven-slot grille. While it’s nothing uber special to behold or use, it’s a signal of how thoughtful Jeep was in building this car.
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The automaker added so many little touches to the Gladiator that it sincerely feels like a gathering of great ideas found in Jeep forums over the years. A detachable speaker functions as part of the sound system, always ready to end up at a campsite. The storage bins under the rear seats are removable as an entire unit. Again, it’s easy to see them sitting in a tent or by a campfire as general storage. It even comes with little movable dividers so users can separate items.
Next to that storage bin, owners will find a handy place to store every bolt or nut that attaches the doors. It’s a small touch but it no doubt helps Jeep owners keep everything in place and easy to find. That includes a small Jeep-branded tool kit complete with a ratchet and all the sockets and torx bits one needs to remove the doors. Finally, Jeep adds a large bag to the mix so owners can store the roof panels without damaging them. On top of all that, there are tiny Easter eggs littered throughout the cabin for fans, young and less old, to enjoy.
Drive Impressions
Under the hood of every Gladiator is a 3.6-liter V6. The manual gearbox on offer in the past is gone and instead, all buyers also get an eight-speed automatic gearbox.This truck drives in a very unique way when compared to the rest of its family. SUVs like the Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee are very clearly aimed at on-road comfort. The Wrangler, even in its longer Unlimited four-door form, drives very much like an off-road SUV with just enough on-road manners to keep fans coming back.
The Gladiator though blends the two ends of the spectrum into a genuinely balanced truck. The additional wheelbase dramatically quiets the way this Jeep rolls down the highway, especially. It feels more stable, more solidly planted on the ground, and broken roads and pavement don’t upset it easily. In addition, the steering feels less darty and more nuanced than in the Wrangler.
While I loved the sound of the Wrangler 392, I really wouldn’t want to have it as my only option for a long road trip. The Gladiator, though, would be very easy to pilot for hundreds of miles at a time. Small additions like the foam sound-deadening material on the ceiling panels add just that much more to the driving experience.
In town, the Gladiator is a treat to drive when compared to larger trucks. One might expect the large tires to make for a rough ride but in reality, they proved quiet and smooth. In fact, at medium to low speeds, they make poor road conditions feel better than they would otherwise. Thanks to its relatively small size compared to full-size trucks and excellent visibility, it’s easier to park and to coax through tighter traffic conditions.
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The drivetrain is mostly positive too but with one giant caveat. The 3.6-liter V6 doesn’t get much love in the shadow of V8 Jeeps or twin-turbocharged inline-sixes. Nevertheless, it’s a very agreeable engine, and matching it up to this eight-speed gearbox makes for a graceful pairing. The big downside though is that this Gladiator struggled to achieve even moderately good fuel economy.
Jeep says it’ll get up to 17 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 19 mpg combined. Our Gladiator never came close to any of those figures. We only managed to get 14.3 mpg over the first half of our driving. That included city, highway, and some off-road driving.
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Over the second half of our week with it fuel economy only dipped further down finally resting at just 12.7 mpg combined. To be fair to the Gladiator, many of those miles were in town but despite that, it seems as though the room to improve in this aspect of design is the size of a small gorge.
Of course, there’s a payoff for those who highly prioritize adventure, the way that this Jeep manages off-road adventures. Put simply, it’s even more at home where people don’t build their homes. On sticky mud or loose gravel, the wide tires find purchase and help it continue making progress. Where we drove the Gladiator, it rained for days and days. That made for several water crossings and very few dry surfaces on which to gain purchase.
Despite that, this pickup never seemed anything less than completely confident over whatever ground we threw at it. The Rubicon specifically is full of useful off-road equipment like a disconnectable front sway bar and locking differentials. Jeep owners who add additional equipment after purchase can use the factory-integrated auxiliary switches to control their aftermarket tech.
Onboard cameras make it very easy to place the wheels and to find the right line up or down off-road obstacles. The Gladiator also has sensors to help drivers know how pitched or rolled the Jeep is at any given moment. It won’t help when you’re on your roof, but it can bring a sense of calm to occupants when they realize that they’re far from the limit of either.
Competition
We’ve driven a lot of mid-size trucks over the last year, and while the Gladiator stands out off-road, vast majority of drivers spend their time on tarmac. It’s there too where trucks like the GMC Canyon, Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, and Toyota Tacoma beat the Gladiator.
Not only do those trucks often have a far more comfortable and tech-savvy cabin, but they ride better on the road too. On top of that, many offer considerably better fuel economy without losing the battle on power or torque. On top of all that, most are available for less than what Jeep asks. Notably, Toyota and GMC both have trucks on offer that cost even more than the most pricey Gladiator.
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At the upper end of the spectrum, and for those who truly love off-roading, this Jeep makes a lot more sense considering its highly capable skill set. For buyers who don’t plan to go rock climbing or creek fording though, it’s worth considering other options.
Finally, let’s talk about safety and warranty coverage because both matter. Jeep is still ages behind other trucks when it comes to passive and active safety equipment. Features like blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control are pay-to-play extras rather than standard features. That’s perhaps fine on a sub-$30,000 econobox but in reality, even those often come with such features today. To omit them from a premium-esque truck seems like seriously cheaping out.
At least there’s some good news when it comes to warranty coverage though. While Jeep provides the industry-standard three-years or 36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and five years of powertrain coverage, it at least stands out a bit for offering free maintenance. New owners get that for three years regardless of mileage.
Final Thoughts
The Gladiator isn’t a revelation. It hasn’t taken the truck segment by storm or completely reimagined what it means to be a truck. Instead, it’s distilled down what Jeep lovers love the most and crammed it into a pickup form. In fact, it’s done that all without being unruly to drive or overly large like so many other trucks on sale today.
At the same time, the Gladiator reminds me a bit of the Ford Bronco Everglades we tested in Colorado. It’s so capable that it’s complete overkill in the light of what most owners actually will use it for.
Rival trucks in this segment often provide more interior comfort and better fuel economy. Those aspects of design are more practical and will keep the Gladiator from (at least for now) being the de facto truck in this space.
The appeal for this pickup really comes down to Jeep fans themselves. It’s everything people love about the Wrangler but with even more overall utility. Does it have flaws? Plenty. Are people still going to buy it and then never use the bed or go off-road with it? Absolutely. And that’s perfectly fine as cars like the Gladiator are more than how they make you feel and what the can do rather than what you intend to use them for.