2020 Jeep Gladiator

The new 2020 Gladiator is Jeep’s first pickup truck in 27 years. Technically, the Gladiator is categorized as a pickup, but rather than merely develop another midsize workhorse like the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford’s new Ranger, Jeep went a different direction with this versatile machine.

The company built the Gladiator to the capability standard set forth by its legendary Wrangler, not another pickup. As such, the Gladiator tackles off-road duties like a proper Jeep. It can also haul and tow better than its peers (on paper) and works well as an everyday driver. All that versatility doesn’t come cheap, however.

The Gladiator drives better than expected on the road, even when equipped with the Rubicon trimmings, which adds rough and ready off-roading tires and all the mechanical tricks to enable going slow, steady and nearly vertical on dirt.

That’s due, in part, to a 20-inch longer wheelbase than the Wrangler’s (measured from the centerlines of the front and rear wheels), which reduces the severity of rocking motions when going over bumps and heaves in the road. It’s no Mercedes S-Class, but it’s a vast improvement compared with Jeeps from 20 years ago.

The only downside on the open road is more than the average amount of steering slack, a result of its high-profile tires and off-roading nature. The Gladiator loses even a bit more steering feel and effectiveness when it’s towing a heavy load, which is typical behavior. A steady diet of tugging more than about 4,000 pounds—despite the Gladiator’s 7,650-pound max tow rating—calls for a properly equipped full-size pickup.

Under the Rubicon’s hood sits a 3.6-liter V6 engine that punts out 285 horsepower, running through the standard six-speed manual or the eight-speed automatic. The automatic is the superior choice as the manual does not shift easily and there’s no difference in combined fuel economy for either. The manual also offers no extra off-road ability.

The Gladiator comes only as a four-door cab with the five-foot-long bed. An optional soft top peels back and transforms it into the only convertible pickup truck on the market. As with the Wrangler, tools are provided to remove the doors, and, just like the old Willy’s Jeeps used in World War II and the Korean War, the windshield lays forward and flat, opening the vehicle up even more.

Off-roading in the Gladiator is effortless and confidence-inspiring because of its size. Nowhere near as big as a full-size pickup and narrower than some mainstream SUVs, the Gladiator fits in tight spaces. Its substantial length is a different story. At 218 inches, it’s almost eight inches longer than a Ford Ranger four-door crew cab model.

Inside, the Gladiator offers decent room across the cabin, though not a lot of front legroom. The front seats have no power adjustment option, but this enables hosing off of the floorboards following extra muddy adventures.

At the dashboard level, the user-friendly Uconnect infotainment system runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard across all models. An optional upgrade adds many more features and a larger display.

Rear seat occupants have plenty of room, especially up high. A cross-bar in front of rear-seat passenger heads serves double-duty as a roll-over safety feature and speaker holder. The rear seatbacks drop down quickly to create a flat shelf, and the seat bottoms pivot forward and up, allowing the back to swallow larger items.

At floor level, lockable and flexible weatherproof storage compartments configure using dividers to fit various types of equipment. These bins also house the bolts that secure the doors, hardtop and other removable pieces. There’s a well-marked holder for all fasteners with guiding pictograms. Well planned, Jeep.

Given its positioning as a charmingly capable off-roader, buyer should beware that the base Gladiator costs $35,040, including the $1,495 destination charge. The Sport S starts at $38,240; the better-equipped Overland begins at $41,890; and the top Rubicon model starts at $45,040.