The Jeep Wrangler has always been its own thing — and that's probably the thing that accounts for its enduring popularity. But how about a more practical Wrangler? One that can haul more stuff — and pull a lot more stuff?
Enter the Gladiator.
What It Is
The Gladiator is a stretched version of the four-door Jeep Wrangler, with a 5-foot bed accounting for most of the increased length and giving the Gladiator much more cargo-carrying capacity and more than twice the towing capacity (7,650 pounds versus just 3,500 of the Wrangler).
It's basically a midsize, crew cab truck — but with some uniquely Jeep features you won't find in any other midsize truck, including the ability to go topless and doorless, just like the Wrangler.
Prices start at $33,545 for the elemental S trim, which comes without power locks or windows, in keeping with the Jeep ethos of ruggedness and simplicity.
Power options are available, of course — but it's very Jeep that you can skip them.
The $40,395 Overland comes with luxury touches such as leather trim and ambient interior lighting, as well as power windows and locks, a 7-inch LCD touch screen and 18-inch alloy wheels in place of the steel 17-inch wheels that come standard otherwise.
For maximum off-road capability, there's the Rubicon, which comes with locking front and rear differentials, 11.1 inches of ground clearance, 33-inch all-terrain tires and an electrically disengaging front sway bar to allow for greater front suspension articulation when rock crawling.
What's New
The Gladiator name isn't.
It was first used back in the '60s, when Jeep converted a four-door Wagoneer into a two-door/regular cab pickup. That model remained in production until 1987.
The Wrangler-based (and four-door) Gladiator is an all-new model.
What's Good
It offers more Wrangler — and more capability.
It comes standard with features no one else offers.
It lets you skip features almost everyone else includes.
What's Not So Good
It has a wide-load turning circle (44.8 feet for the Rubicon).
It could use a larger gas tank to make it seem less thirsty than it actually is.
There's no two-door/regular cab version (with a 6-foot bed).
Under the Hood
Regardless of trim, every Gladiator is powered by the same 3.6-liter V-6 that's optional in the Wrangler. It makes 285 horsepower the old-fashioned way — with displacement instead of a turbocharger. That means never having to worry about spending money on a replacement turbo.
The V-6 can be paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic.
All trims are four-wheel drive.
Gas mileage is 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway — roughly on par with some of the four-cylinder turbocharged competition. For example, the Ford Ranger, with its standard 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, gets 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway — but the Jeep feels thirstier than it is because of its fairly small (22 gallon) gas tank.
You fuel up more often, which makes you think you're spending more on gas. But you're actually spending about the same as owners of other trucks with larger tanks.
They just fill up less often.
On the Road
Some reviewers fault the Gladiator for handling like a truck — but that's kind of like faulting an NFL linebacker for being big. People who buy vehicles like this expect a hunky experience — and, more to the point, they want it.
Jeep provides it.
The payoff is a vehicle that can go places you'd otherwise need a dirt bike to deal with — and dirt bikes can't carry a load of firewood and don't have eight speaker stereos.
The Gladiator's main deficit on the road is its length.
At 218 inches long bumper-to-bumper, it is almost as long as a 1970 Buick Electra 225 (so named because it was 225 inches long). That plus a big rig's turning circle make it more of a challenge to parallel park than the Wrangler, which is only 188.4 inches long.
But the payoff is ... more Wrangler.
At the Curb
It looks like a Wrangler and shares the Wrangler's interior dimensions, including the same (and much more than is usual) headroom in both rows (42.8 inches). Most current vehicles — including most pickups — have less headroom in the second row due to the roofline's rearward slope.
The Gladiator's roof is as level as the deck of an aircraft carrier.
And you can peel the roof back and enjoy being in the air. A composite hardtop with removable panes is also available.
The Gladiator's bed is small but made more usable via configurable storage options, including a rack system and tonneau cover. You can carry 4-by-8 sheets with the tailgate lowered.
The Rest
It'd be neat if Jeep offered a two-door Gladiator with a 6-foot bed, which would make it even more practical and also closer in concept to the original Gladiator.
Maybe next year.
A diesel engine appears to be on deck for sure; it should be available by spring.
The Bottom Line
Wranglers are lots of fun ... and not so practical.
The Gladiator fixes that!
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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