2022 Jeep Gladiator

Two years ago, Jeep finally introduced a pickup truck in the USA. Called the Jeep Gladiator, its name immediately conjures up images of sliding through tight gravel bends, chucking mud while crawling through a swampy marshland, and jumping over dunes. The Russell Crowe of trucks, then, but with better manners. Jeep enthusiasts will know what it really is, though, a pickup version of the Wrangler they all love, but instead of using the Wrangler's platform, it inherits mechanical aspects from the Ram 1500. Despite this, it competes in the midsize truck segment, where rivals include the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado. As you'd expect, four-wheel drive is the only drivetrain for this truck, but what you might not expect is that in addition to a 285-horsepower gasoline V6 with a 7,650-pound towing capacity, Jeep also sells the Gladiator with a 260-hp 3.0-liter diesel V6 generating 442 lb-ft of torque from the Ram 1500. When it comes to midsize trucks, few have the presence and off-road capability of the Gladiator, but in a cut-throat segment in a country as obsessive over trucks as the USA, the Gladiator won't have it easy, and with the price of the Jeep truck being on the high side, the brand loyalists will need to be its biggest supporters.

The Jeep's exterior is one of its most unique selling points. Not just because of how it looks, but what you can do with it. Designers clearly relied heavily on the Wrangler's well-known shape, which has some drawbacks, but we'll focus on those later. For now, just look at the seven-slot grille, round headlights, square taillights, and the ability to remove the doors and roof. No other pickup truck offers that ability, and unlike many, the Jeep Gladiator pickup truck is only available in one cab style - crew. We can't deny that it's essentially useless 300 days a year, but you will undoubtedly feel like a hero when you get the chance. The base model is equipped with black 17-inch styled steel wheels, but the rest of the range receives either 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels. A Sunrider folding soft-top is standard, but hard-top options are available. There are a few special edition models available, each offering some unique features. These include the Willys, 80th Anniversary, California, Texas Trail, and Freedom editions.

The most aggressive model in the standard five-model line-up is the Mojave, which comes as standard with 33-inch tires, skid plates, orange accents, and a model-specific "Desert Rated" badge.

Unlike many of its rivals, the Gladiator is only available in one body shape: four doors with a 60.3-inch bed, with this figure extending to 81.3 inches with the tailgate open. The Gladiator is 218 inches in length, 73.8 inches wide, and has a maximum height of 76.1 inches in soft-top Rubicon models, although depending on trim, this figure can be as low as 73.1 inches with the hardtop. The wheelbase is 137.3 inches, which is where you really start noticing the difference compared to the Wrangler as the latter only has a 118.4-inch wheelbase. Traditionally, the Rubicon has always been the most hardcore model in the Wrangler lineup, but the Gladiator adds one model with even more ability. The Gladiator Rubicon has approach, breakover, and departure angles of 43.6/20.3/26 degrees, but the Mojave improves on those specs by offering 44.7/20.9/25.5 degrees. The Rubicon has a ground clearance of 11.1 inches, and the Mojave comes with an additional 0.5 inches. Other derivatives boast less impressive figures like 40.8/18.4/25-degree angles and an even 10 inches of clearance.

The Gladiator Sport with a part-time 4WD system and a manual transmission is the lightest, weighing 4,650 pounds. The heftiest model is the Rubicon with an automatic transmission, boasting a curb weight of 5,072 lbs.

The Gladiator's color palette is 11 colors strong, but not all colors are available on every model. Bright White is the only no-cost option, with all other colors costing extra. As the Gladiator is the boldest, funkiest truck available, we appreciate that you can order it in an equally flamboyant color. The more traditional options include Granite Crystal, Billet Silver, Sting Gray, and Black. From there on, it's a selection of wild colors, helping this hefty pickup stand out even more. The wilder side of the palette consists of Firecracker Red, Hydro Blue, Sarge Green, Snazzberry, and Nacho. All these colors cost $245 extra, but the new lime-green Limited Edition Gecko costs $395.

Jeep's 3.6-liter Pentastar naturally-aspirated V6 engine is the standard powertrain. It's a reliable powertrain that has been used in a range of FCA - now Stellantis - products for years in some form or another. Independent tests have shown that it is capable of sprinting to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. While this is brisk, it's not class-leading. Ford has embraced the small-capacity turbocharged engine, and the result is a Ranger capable of sprinting to 60 mph in less than seven seconds. Even Jeep has embraced this new trend, with the Wrangler being available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot - something which is not yet available for the Gladiator. The good news is that you can order a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6, good for 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque. You can add it to every model in the lineup except the base Sport for an additional $4,000, plus an additional $2,000 for an eight-speed automatic transmission. Oddly, even with all that additional torque, the gas model still has a higher towing capacity. Jeep claims the base V6 can tow up to 7,650 lbs, while the V6 diesel can only manage 6,500 lbs. The gasoline V6 nearly matches the Chevrolet Colorado's 7,700 lbs, while the diesel can't even match the old-school Toyota Tacoma.

Both the Gladiator's engines are tuned to provide low-down torque. A six-speed manual is standard, and an eight-speed automatic transmission is available for $2,000 extra. The gas V6 offers plenty of grunt with 285 hp and 260 lb-ft, the latter at 4,400 rpm, but at higher speeds, it runs out of steam. While hardcore off-roaders will undoubtedly praise Jeep for offering a manual, we reckon the eight-speed automatic is the better option.

The new turbocharged diesel offers loads of grunt. Jeep claims 260 hp, but we're more interested in the 442 lb-ft of torque, all of which are available from 1,400 rpm. The powerband is quite narrow, however. It delivers all of that torque between 1,400 and 2,800 rpm and runs into the redline at 4,600 rpm. Luckily, the eight-speed automatic offers a nice spread of ratios, enabling you to make the most of the engine. The spread goes all the way from 4.71 in first gear to a low 0.67 in eighth. Overtaking at higher speeds is a joy, as the diesel hardly ever had to gear down.

Like the Wrangler, the Gladiator suffers from poor road manners. We can excuse this to a certain extent, given that it was built with off-roading in mind. The vague steering is extremely annoying on the road but an advantage when driving swiftly on dirt and sand. As anyone with high-speed dirt-driving experience will tell you, the secret to smooth direction changes is minute steering inputs. Having sports car-like steering will result in some serious scratches... on the roof. Having said that, it's getting more difficult to forgive Jeep these mistakes. We now live in a world where cars like the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser offer serious off-road potential, but without feeling so wayward on the blacktop, and our experience overseas with a Ford Ranger Raptor really gives us reason to believe Jeep needs to do better.

There are three different four-wheel-drive systems to choose from. The first is Command-Trac, standard on the Sport, Overland, and Mojave. This is an old-school part-time 4WD system with rear-wheel-drive, 4WD High, and 4WD Low. It's a basic setup that works well, especially if you want to do big, epic slides in the Mojave. Like most part-time systems, you can't use the 4WD High mode on the tarmac, as it will only result in axle binding and the damage that comes with it.

Jeep must have noticed the complaints regarding the Gladiator's uncooperative handling nature on-road because you can now opt for a 4WD system called Selec-Trac. It has the same driving modes as the standard setup but with one extra mode. In the standard 4WD system, the center differential is permanently locked, splitting the power 50:50 between the front and rear axle. Selec-Trac offers a 4WD high mode with an unlocked center differential, allowing the front and rear axles to operate independently.

Finally, there's the part-time 4:1 Rock-Trac, standard on the Rubicon. You get the same driving modes, but with an extra-low crawling gear. As an added bonus, you can also disconnect the sway bar for added wheel articulation in true Jeep fashion.

In short, there's now a 4WD system for every driving situation. If you want a Gladiator that offers optimal grip at high speeds on tarmac, Selec-Trac is the best option. For serious off-road duty, Rock-Trac is the best option.

We can't discuss the handling and driving impression without mentioning the Mojave model specifically. It's basically a Raptor competitor, equipped with lifted 2.5-inch FOX internal-bypass shocks with external reservoirs to keep the heat low. Throw in some hydraulic bump stops, and you have a serious off-roader that wouldn't look out of place competing in the Baja 100.

It's an odd driving experience, and you have to build confidence to exploit it fully. In the beginning, you brace for an impact after bravely jumping a dune, but the impact never comes. After a while, you learn to trust the suspension, but finding that limit and learning how to drive what is essentially a truck with an off-road racing suspension takes time.

The Jeep Gladiator 3.6-liter V6 is thirsty, but on par in the segment. Its EPA-estimated gas mileage is 17/22/19 mpg city/highway/combined with the eight-speed auto, which is better than the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 V6's 16/18/17 mpg. With the six-speed manual transmission, these figures are 16/23/19 mpg. Ford shows what is capable with a small-capacity turbocharged engine, with the Ranger 4WD's consumption figures of 20/24/22 mpg. But if it's frugality you seek, Jeep's EcoDiesel is a few steps ahead, consuming just 22/28/24 mpg, while the Rubicon with this engine manages 21/27/24 mpg. The 3.6-liter gets a larger 22-gallon tank, good for a range of 418 miles. The diesel gets a smaller 18.3-gallon tank, but can do 440 miles between refills.

The Gladiator comes with a Wrangler-like flat dashboard housing a touchscreen interface and all the major controls. Because you can remove the roof and doors, the interior features a few things you won't normally find in a car. A waterproof starter button and drainage holes are just two examples.

There's plenty of space, and the Uconnect system isn't difficult to understand. In fact, the whole interior is about as basic as it gets design-wise. The buttons are placed logically, making them easy to find even if the car is leaning at 38 degrees on a side slope.

There's a vast difference between the various specification levels. The base Sport comes with manual windows and mirrors, for example. Luckily, features like dual-zone climate control are available higher up in the range.

Since there is only one body style, all versions of the Gladiator can seat five with ease. Front passengers get 42.8 inches of headroom (40.8 inches with the hardtop) and 41.2 inches of legroom. Rear passengers get the same headroom as those up front, but less legroom at 38.3 inches. These figures are mighty impressive for a pickup truck, and if the passengers complain about headroom, simply remove the roof, and you have instant access to infinite inches.

The rear seats take care of a long-existing gripe we have with pickup trucks. You can either transport passengers or go grocery shopping. You can't do both. Loading the groceries in the bed will result in an epic mess, which means the rear seat is the only logical place to put the shopping. In the Gladiator, you can either lift the rear-seat bottoms up for a row of secure storage bins or fold the rear seatbacks down for a large, safe cargo space inside the cabin.

As you'd expect in a vehicle with a removable roof and doors, the focus had to be durability. Base Sport and Willys Sport models get cloth seats and a urethane steering wheel, but leather is available higher up in the range and the Sport S gets a leather-trimmed steering wheel. The cloth color options are Black or Black/Heritage Tan. The leather options higher in the range consist of Black or Black/Dark Saddle while the special edition High Altitude has quilted Nappa leather in Black/Steel Gray and Black. The Texas Trail gets black leather with the Texas Trail graphic embossed on the seatbacks. The Freedom Edition gets black cloth/leather seats.

Both the Rubicon and Mojave come with model-specific interior trimmings. The Rubicon comes with "Redical" dash inserts and red contrast stitching, while the Mojave does the same in orange. Since the Mojave was built to drive on gravel at high speeds, its seats have more aggressive bolstering to keep you in place. The steering wheel grips are also designed differently for maximum clenching ability.

The Jeep pickup truck's five-foot bed is below par in the segment. Jeep doesn't offer various bed sizes like other manufacturers. This limits its practicality, but what you do get is quite good, and the available Mopar bed cover aids practicality. The bed volume is claimed to be 35.5 cubic feet, way short of the Chevy Colorado's 49.9-cube bed. The Gladiator Sport has a maximum payload of 1,700 lbs - albeit only in its most basic manual, Sport trim - which is 368 lbs short of the Chevy and 205 lbs short of the Ford Ranger. Lighting for the bed is standard, and a roll-up tonneau cover and bed liner are available.

The interior storage consists of several storage compartments to keep small items out of the way. All trims get a center armrest with a storage compartment and cupholders in the front and rear.

The base Sport model has manual windows and side mirrors but is thankfully equipped with air conditioning. It also comes with push-button ignition, a six-way manually-adjustable driver's seat, tilt-and-telescoping steering column adjustment, cruise control, and a black Sunrider soft-top. Higher-spec models include power windows, automatic climate control, keyless entry, and power heated side mirrors. Options like heated seats and a heated steering wheel are reserved for additional packages, as is the automatic climate control - but only from the Sport S trim; these features are not available on the two Sport and Willys Sport base trims.

On the safety side, all Gladiators are equipped with a rearview camera, tire-pressure monitoring, and hill start assist. Driver assistance tech like blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, rear park assist, and forward-collision warning are optional extras, which is a pity since many of Jeep's rivals offer more driver assistance gear as standard.

The Sport, Willys Sport, Sport S, and Willys all have a basic five-inch version of the Uconnect infotainment system. While it comes with USB ports, Bluetooth streaming, and eight speakers, it's not Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatible. From Sport S upwards, a seven-inch Uconnect system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and voice command is optionally available - but standard from Overland level and up. An 8.4-inch infotainment system is available as an optional extra as part of the Radio and Premium Audio Group Package from the Sport S and up. Also included is navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM Traffic, and a nine-speaker, 552-watt Alpine Premium Sound System, to name just a few. The 8.4-inch infotainment is standard fitment on the special edition 80th Anniversary and High Altitude models, but Overland, Mojave, and Rubicon-based models can equip this through an optional package.

The new Jeep Gladiator pickup has not had the easiest life so far. In its introductory 2020 model year, there have been five recalls in total, although only one of these were applicable to 2021 Jeep Gladiator models for the possibility of a clutch pressure plate overheating. In 2020, Jeep received an unusually high number of complaints, the majority of which concerned the steering - the same complaint the Wrangler suffers from. No recalls have been issued for the 2022 model at the time of writing. Thus far, there is no official reliability rating for the Gladiator.

Jeep offers a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

The NHTSA has not performed a thorough review of the Jeep Gladiator, so it currently does not have an overall safety rating. It received four out of five stars for a frontal crash and a disappointing three out of five for a rollover. To date, it still hasn't been sent to the IIHS for evaluation, but we expect full reviews of the Jeep Gladiator from both authorities in due course.

As an all-new contender in the pickup truck segment, Jeep could have led the way. Unfortunately, it let an amazing opportunity slip through its fingers. On the traditional side, you get four airbags (dual front and front side), a rearview camera, stability and traction control, hill-start assist, and tire-pressure monitoring. All of the driver-assistance features are optional, including blind-spot monitoring, rear park assist, adaptive cruise control, and forward-collision warning. To be fair, this is regrettably the standard in this particular segment. At least Honda's Ridgeline breaks the mold by offering a more comprehensive advanced safety suite as standard.

The price of the Jeep Gladiator is relatively steep, starting at $34,645. That's okay, because it's more of a niche product than an outright rival to the likes of the Toyota Tacoma. Toyota drivers believe in durability and reliability above all else, and are unlikely to be swayed by a removable roof and doors.

If anything, Jeep will be pilfering sales from itself. The Wrangler is also a hardcore off-roader, which asks its owner to make some sacrifices in terms of daily useability. The Gladiator does almost everything the Wrangler is capable of but wrapped in the appealing body of a pickup truck, which seems like a solid alternative to us. To be blunt, the Gladiator brings nothing new to the table. What it does is inject some fun into the midsize pickup truck segment, which is a refreshing change from the usual bean-counter-driven product planning we're used to seeing.

Since there is such a wide spread of abilities within the range, the 2022 Gladiator is a vehicle that caters to both hardcore off-roaders and those looking for a smaller alternative to the F-150 Raptor. Since Ford doesn't offer the Ranger Raptor in the USA, the Gladiator Mojave gets to play around in a segment of one.

With more models than there really need to be, there's an incremental price point for every new Jeep truck buyer to be happy. The pricing of the Gladiator range kicks off with the entry-level Sport with an MSRP of $34,645. Next in line is the Willys Sport at $36,990, the Sport S at $38,485, and the California-only California Edition with an MSRP of $40,085. The regular Willys asks $40,550 while the 80th Anniversary starts at $43,085. Then comes the Texas-only Texas Trail model at $41,435, the Freedom for $42,945, and the Overland at $41,350. Both the Rubicon and Mojave are priced from $45,170 while the range-topping High Altitude starts at $52,455. Adding the turbodiesel V6 will add $4,000 to your bill, necessitating a further $2,000 for the eight-speed automatic gearbox. The Selec-Trac Full Time 4WD system, which allows you to use the four-high with an open center differential, costs an additional $695.

These prices do not include Jeep's destination charge of $1,595.

The six core trims of the 2022 Jeep Gladiator lineup are Sport, Sport S, Overland, Mojave, Rubicon, and High Altitude. Various special editions are based on these trims and these models are differentiated by model-specific styling features and other changes, which means that there were actually 12 configurations in which to order your Gladiator at the time of writing. The special editions currently available are Willys Sport, Willys, 80th Anniversary Edition, Freedom, California Edition, and Texas Trail. Of course, any of these may be discontinued at any time.

All trims are powered as standard by a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 engine - which is the only engine choice on the base Sport. A six-speed manual transmission is fitted as standard and an eight-speed automatic is optionally available. A part-time Command-Trac four-wheel-drive system is used on most models, with a Selec-Trac full-time 4WD system optionally available from the Sport S. The Rubicon is the only one fitted with a 4:1 Rock-Trac part-time 4WD with extra-low gearing.

The base Sport trim comes as standard with styled 17-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, front fog lights, a body-color grille, and a removable roof and doors. Inside, it has cloth upholstery, manual windows, manual air-conditioning, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, a manually tilting/telescoping steering column, cruise control, a 3.5-inch black-and-white driver-information display, a 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, and push-button start. It gets a basic five-inch screen for its Uconnect 3 infotainment system and Bluetooth, USB ports, and an eight-speaker audio system, but no smartphone integration. Standard safety features include four airbags, stability control, a backup camera, and hill-start assist.

The Sport S gets powered and heated exterior mirrors, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, body-color fender flares, a power tailgate lock, remote keyless entry, power windows, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, sunvisors with illuminated vanity mirrors, a security alarm, and access to more options, safety features, and packages.

The Overland gets a bright grille, 18-inch alloy wheels, side steps, automatic climate control, a seven-inch color driver-information display, a 115-volt auxiliary power outlet, a seven-inch infotainment screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM.

Mojave is a trim made for rough-road driving and comes with custom Fox suspension with internal-bypass dampers, a locking rear differential, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a trim-specific steering wheel. Other additional features include a performance hood, black MIC fender flares, a Mojave hood decal, and protection sill rails.

The Rubicon trim is made for rock-crawling and low-speed off-road work, adding rock rails, an electronically locking front differential, a disconnectable sway bar for additional wheel articulation, and a low-speed crawler gear ratio. Other features include a steel rear bumper, and a dual-vented hood.

The High Altitude is the luxury model and exterior differences include black 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, fog lights, and front turn signals, body-color exterior mirrors, door handles, Freedom Top, and bumpers, dark exterior accents, quilted Nappa leather upholstery, a rear armrest with a cupholder, SiriusXM Plus and Travel Link, an 8.4-inch infotainment screen, an Alpine premium audio system with eight speakers, a full-length floor console, a rear window defroster, leather trim for the park-brake handle, steering wheel, and dashboard, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, and an upgraded backup camera.

The special editions are mostly appearance packages added to existing trims. The Willys Sport is based on the Sport trim and the Willys on the Sport S trim, but add features such as rock rails, black exterior accents, a limited-slip rear differential, Willys hood decals, and 32-inch mud-terrain tires to the spec sheet.

The four other special editions - Texas Trail, California Edition, Freedom, and 80th Anniversary Edition - are all based on the Sport S trim. The first two are only for sale through Jeep dealers in those two states. The California Edition has a black grille, 17-inch alloys, exterior accents, and hard top and the Texas Trail has a body-color grille, 32-inch mud-terrain tires, black leather seats with "Texas Trail" embossed on them, "1836" decals that refer to the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Trailer Tow Group package.

For every Freedom Edition Gladiator sold, Jeep donates to the USO and this Gladiator stands out because of its 17-inch Satin Carbon alloy wheels, steel bumpers, rock rails, LED headlights and fog lights, Freedom Edition decals, and Oscar Mike tailgate badge. The 80th Anniversary Edition gets commemorative badging, 18-inch Granite Crystal alloy wheels with Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, body-color fenders, Neutral Grey exterior accents, Light Tungsten interior detailing, black diamond-embossed seats, Berber floormats, remote start, and the 8.4-inch infotainment screen.

The various models have access to packages that would be useful to their customers. For example, the base Sport can be equipped with a Max Tow Package enabling the maximum tow rating for $1,445. You can add more luxury and safety to the Sport S with packages like the Adaptive Cruise Control and Forward Collision Warning Plus for $795, or the Active Safety Plus group for $995. This adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, LED tail lamps, and park assist. Jeep has also made things easy by grouping a bunch of the most popular options together, aptly named the Popular Equipment Package. It adds a black three-piece hardtop, items from the Convenience, Trailer Tow, and Technology Packages. The cost depends on the model trim, and what it already has available. The most expensive item is the 8.4-inch Radio and Premium Audio group. It adds the Alpine premium nine-speaker sound system, 8.4-inch infotainment screen, navigation, additional USB charging ports, SiriusXM traffic, amongst many other features. The cost of this package also depends on the trim.

The Jeep truck offers a wide variety of talents, and will appeal to different kinds of people. The base Sport offers a nice blank canvas to which you can add several aftermarket accessories.

If you don't have any problems with Jeep putting together a model for you, opt for one of the ultimate trims. The Mojave offers the best balance between on-road manners and off-road ability, thanks to the Fox suspension. The Rubicon, however, is for technical off-road drivers who like slow rock-crawling. We'd avoid most of the 'special edition' models as there charge you mostly for stylistic elements without much concrete advancement in the overall spec. Stick within the base trims and spec a few options, like the diesel engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox, and you're bound to find the best Jeep Gladiator truck for your needs.

The Tacoma is also a midsize truck with proper off-roading credentials. It's more affordable, offers more body styles and bed sizes, and has built a reputation for being reliable. While the Toyota can be equipped with a bigger six-foot bed, the 3.6-liter V6 engine in the Jeep is capable of towing more.

The Toyota comes with more safety features, but the Gladiator is newer and more interesting.

It boils down to what you want to do with the truck. If you want a dependable truck that will get you there and back, the Toyota is the right call. But if you want to make a statement, and have some fun, the Jeep is a better choice. It's the one that'll tackle desert trails and climb rocks with far more aplomb, and it'll steal the limelight wherever you go.

The Wrangler matches the Gladiator in many ways. They look the same, have the same interior, and you can remove the roof and doors on both.

They also share the same weaknesses, but the Gladiator does more to fix them. Both the turbocharged four-cylinder and 3.6-liter V6 in the Wrangler can feel underpowered at high speed. The Gladiator is available with a new diesel V6, which fixes that problem. A previous Wrangler flaw - the lack of the Selec-Trac 4WD system that allows for four-wheel drive on tarmac - has now been fixed though, adding an additional layer of active safety to the Wrangler that it didn't have previously.

The Gladiator is also more practical thanks to the bed, and the bigger wheelbase allowing for more interior space. It will boil down to the buyer's personality. Either way, he/she will end up with a great off-roader. It's on-road that the Gladiator performs better though, even if it is only marginally so.